Cyprus, As I Saw It In 1879 By Sir Samuel White Baker





















































 -  In fact, said the poor old monks, our produce is a trouble to
us, as personally we derive no benefit - Page 418
Cyprus, As I Saw It In 1879 By Sir Samuel White Baker - Page 418 of 524 - First - Home

Enter page number    Previous Next

Number of Words to Display Per Page: 250 500 1000

In Fact," Said The Poor Old Monks, "Our Produce Is A Trouble To Us, As Personally We Derive No Benefit; The Public Eat The Fruit, And The Government Eats The Taxes."

There were curious distinctions and exceptions in this arbitrary form of taxation:

If a fruit-tree grew within the monastery courtyard it was exempt; thus the great walnut-tree beneath which we camped was free. It was really cheering to find that we were living under some object that was not taxed in Cyprus; but the monk continued, and somewhat dispelled the illusion . . . "This tree produced in one year 20,000 walnuts, and it averages from 12,000 to 15,000; but when the crops of our other trees are estimated, the official valuer always insists upon a false maximum, so as to include the crop of the courtyard walnut in the total amount for taxation."

The potatoes, like all other horticultural productions, are valued while growing, and the same system of extravagant estimate is pursued.

This system is a blight of the gravest character upon the local industry of the inhabitants, and it is a suicidal and unstatesmanlike policy that crushes and extinguishes all enterprise. What Englishman would submit to such a prying and humiliating position? And still it is expected that the resources of the island will be developed by British capital! The great want for the supply of the principal towns is market-gardens. Imagine an English practical market-gardener, fresh from the ten-mile radius of Covent Garden, where despatch and promptitude mean fortune and success:

Enter page number   Previous Next
Page 418 of 524
Words from 114030 to 114290 of 143016


Previous 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 Next

More links: First 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300
 310 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400
 410 420 430 440 450 460 470 480 490 500
 510 520 Last

Display Words Per Page: 250 500 1000

 
Africa (29)
Asia (27)
Europe (59)
North America (58)
Oceania (24)
South America (8)
 

List of Travel Books RSS Feeds

Africa Travel Books RSS Feed

Asia Travel Books RSS Feed

Europe Travel Books RSS Feed

North America Travel Books RSS Feed

Oceania Travel Books RSS Feed

South America Travel Books RSS Feed

Copyright © 2005 - 2022 Travel Books Online