Of the $206,000 raised by internal
taxes during the last biennial period, the horses paid $50,000, the
mules $6,000, and the dogs $19,000!
The indirect taxation in the shape of customs' duties amounted to
$350,000 in the same period. The poor Hawaiian does not know the
blessing of a "Free Breakfast Table."
The islands are large importers. The value of imported goods paying
duties was $1,437,000 in 1873, on which the Hawaiian Treasury
received $198,000 as customs' duties. Twenty-five thousand dollars'
worth of ale, porter, and light wines, and thirty thousand dollars'
worth of spirits, show that the foreign population of 6,000 is more
than sufficiently bibulous. The Chinamen, about 2,000 in number,
are, or ought to be, responsible for $13,000 worth of opium; and the
$34,000 worth of tobacco and cigars is doubtless distributed pretty
equally over all the nationalities. Twenty-one thousand gallons of
spirits were imported in 1873. The licences to sell spirits brought
$18,000 dollars into the treasury in the last biennial period, but
those for the sale of awa and opium brought in $55,000 during the
same time. These licences are confined to Honolulu.
There are two interesting items of customs receipts, a sum of $924,
the proceeds of a per capita tax of two dollars levied on passengers
landing on the islands, for the support of the Queen's Hospital, and
a sum of $1,477, the proceeds of a tax levied on seamen for the
support of the Marine Hospital.
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