Part 19 (2/2)
The tariff changes went into effect at the time of the announcement. The special tax on wine and champagne goes into effect at once. The other special taxes take effect at a date to be yet fixed. The stamp tax on letters means that the old 3 cent postage rate is restored, and a city letter costs 2 cents.
There is to be no income tax.
The following are some of the items of taxation:--
One cent on telegraph and cable messages.
Five cents for every five dollars on railroad and steamboat tickets.
Ten cents on sleeping car and five cents on parlor car tickets.
One to three dollars per pa.s.senger from steamboat companies carrying to ports other than in Canada, Newfoundland, the United States of America, and British West Indies.
Two cents on all bank checks, receipts and bills of exchange, express and post-office orders.
One cent on postal notes.
One cent (war stamp) on each letter and postcard.
Five cents per quart on non-sparkling wines sold in Canada, and twenty-five cents per pint on champagne and sparkling wines.
One cent on each twenty-five cents retail price of proprietary articles.
The only tax that has interest to us as philatelists is the one cent impost on all letters and postcards. This came into effect on April 15th, 1915, and special stamps were issued for the purpose. These are the regular 1c postage stamps of the King George series with the words ”WAR TAX”, in two lines, in large colorless block capitals between the portrait and the value. As this stamp collected a tax on letters and postcards it will undoubtedly be considered collectible by the most advanced of the philatelic purists. A 2c value was also issued in this type and while this was primarily intended for use on money orders, checks, etc., it was also quite frequently used for postage. In fact there seems to have been no necessity for these special stamps, for so long as a letter had 3c postage on it (or 2c in the case of drop letters) the law was fully complied with.
That both the 1c and 2c values were good for postage is proved by the following letter addressed to Mr. Gladstone Perry in answer to an enquiry by him:--
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA, OTTAWA, _22nd April, 1915._
Dear Sir:--
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 19th inst. on the subject of War Tax Stamps.
In so far as the Post Office Department is concerned, the War Tax Stamps have only been issued in two denominations, namely:--the one cent and two cent.
The Two Cent War Tax Stamp may be used on money orders, cheques, notes and wherever else the tax on that amount is applicable.
I would also add that ordinary postage stamps may also be used to pay the War Tax and that Post Office War Tax Stamps are available for postage purposes.
Very sincerely yours, E. J. LEMAIRE, Superintendent, _Postage Stamp Branch._
It was considered, however, that a stamp which would pay both postage and tax would be a great convenience to the public and in December, 1915, a stamp of this sort was issued. The official announcement regarding these was as follows:--
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, CANADA, OTTAWA _December 30th, 1915._
Sir:--I have the honor to enclose three specimens of a stamp which this Department is issuing for postage and War Tax purposes, having a value of three cents. This is an ordinary two cent postage stamp surcharged as follows: 1 T c (one cent tax). This has been issued in response to the demand of the public for a stamp having the value of three cents so that postage and War Tax might be paid by affixing one stamp. This stamp is of permanent validity.
I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, R. M. COULTER, _Deputy Postmaster-General._
The new stamps were printed from engraved plates as usual from a special die adapted from the ordinary 2 cent stamp. Upon the King's coat, immediately below the portrait but within the portrait oval, is engraved a capital ”T” beneath the left branch of which is the numeral ”1”, and beneath the right branch the letter ”c” for cent. These presumably came into general use on January 1st, 1916.
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