DR. FINDLAY ON TAXATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 587, 16 August 1909, Page 5

DR. FINDLAY ON TAXATION.

Sir,—As ono of the thrice accursed landowners of New Zealand, I am moved to ask for space in which to comment upon Dr. Findlay's views on taxation. ' _ . Undoubtedly, sir, our lands have increased in value. Singularly enough, we, wont into the bank country with some such hopes. We thought that by causing grass and sheep to take the place of bush and forn, and wild pigs, we had brought about some of the increase in value. Dr. Findlay thinks ho. was the cause of the, improvement in value,. and suggests 1 that I should pay his taxes. We have always thought that the value of our land depended upon the price we could get for our produce in London. Dr.' Findlay thinks tbpt lie. has brought about the rise in value j but with equal firmness repudiates any responsibility for the recent fall.- Now, who is Dr. Findlay, and wlio are wo? We "landowners, and land users, are they who have produced those oxports upon, . which Dr. Findlay has lived. We recognise shepherds, bushfellers, teamsters, shearers,. railway and wharf labourers, butchors, eto. ; as indispensable assistants, partners as it' were, and they have had a share of our produce in return. But what has Dr. Findlay, ever produced? Is lie anything more than .a' peddler in words? Take away from New Zealand its land .users, and whore, would Dr.-Findlay be? Take away its lawyers, and would the farmers be any the worse? Which is the indispensable man, which is the parasite? I ask again, what has Dr.' Findlay ever done? I at least have mado some land productive. ' I have imported stock for the improvement of our animals. Oh, I am-no patriot'.' I did it for my own good, jbut incidentally the country is the better for it. Men who worked for me are •now prosperous farmers, but I admit they would be batter omployed in rushing about the country whining that under a Conservative administration a. poor mail could not get on to the laiid. That is what' Mr. Massoy ought to bo doing; instead of proving, in his own case, the contrary. But I come back to, "What, has Dr. Findlay ever done: for New Zealand?'.' What has ho ever produced? From what action of his has any one but himself ever derived the. slightest benefit. I press for an answer, because Dr. Findlay is demanding that my, taxation shall' be increased that his may be reduced. . 1 - And lie,tells m.c that the value of my land has been • increased by the borrowing which, the Great Liberal party has resorted to'to buy their continuance in the emoluments of office. I' deny it in toto. Twenty years ago this, place ; was fifteen, miles, from a railway lending to. the seaboard. It is no nearer to-day—will .be no'nearer, fifty years hcnce. My , wool aiid mutton' are sold !in London, and I deny that the. expenditure of the last twenty. years has benefited me ' in .the slightest. Stumps , liavb' rotted, logs have • burned, swamps have settled down under draining. . But we have paid for all tho roads that take us to the railway. I cannot see that the : political' gambling adventurers who have been in office for the last eighteen years' have' spent a sixpence to my advantage., The.y have bought,-with borrowed millions, their con-' tinuance in office, iuvolving 'the right to nominate Dr. Findlay to a position tliat the electors refused to. confer upon him, and incidentally to £1200 a year as well. ' I can trace-a distinct connection between.' those borrowed millions artd Dr. Findlay's wellbeing, but I cannot see that they have added, a fraction to the price of my wool and mutton. . On tho other hand, if I have any savings; Dr. Findlay boasts that by borrowing for; advances' to settlers ho and his friends have reduced the 1 interest ;I can get. If I have any land to sell he' similarly boasts that ho has reduced the pricq I can get- for/'it. Yet it is he, of the v non-producing parasitical clask, who suggests, that I should pay his taxes. In the same way the gentleman who ,draws: £1-200-a*year -as -Minister, for .Educa-' tion, .and, who owns no. land, suggests that the, cost of educatidu, including liis Balary, should' be put upon the ( Dr. findlay. i^ n verjCa|t''at:coinihg. ; phrMes,\rounding periodsparid—oh, of ; cours<v.T forgot', no'-has' really, produced something. Ho • has., pro-, duoed—a book. Wkat a contribution to the, development 'of ; the country I v That is how he proposes to meet his proportion of the interest on our debt.

And, anyhow,, what is the game ft When the Prime Minister loft: New,'-. Zealand it was tacitly understood by all/honourable men that politics- were to bo at rest. Assuredly if Mr. Massey had stumped the country denouncing bhe Administration ho would have been roundly accused of taking an unfair advantage of an absent man. Dr.> Findlay-, however', is not bound by any corresponding consideration. I suspect'ho rather chuckles about it.' If Mr. Massey does not take- tho platform that will be admirable. If he doos, then incite tho jackals to yell unfairness to a man absent from the country, ■ grievously against his personal inclinations, sacrificing' his health, pleasure, and comfort to Imperial, interests. This is what billiardists would call playing for safety, but is it the game? But what is the central idea? Is it to;show , that those who favour Mr. Hogg's views can find them in tho Cabiuct, minus Mr: Hogg's lack of culture in advancing- them? Has -Dr. Findlay , been authorised by his chief to pro- ; mulgato tho opinions lio; has recently been expressing?:'Or is he on his own? In this caso is he taking'advantage of his leader's absence .to advertise himself, or is he merely out to express opinions, which his leader can repudiate, ignore, or adopt, as the cat may happen to jump?. One would like to know these things. Is.there an Acting-Premier anywhere about? Has he any control over, the movements and utterances of his colleagues? Why l this sudden activity on the part of -the only Minister the electors cannot get at? . . . . ~ „' I don't feel any uneasiness over Dr. Findlay.. The complacency and assurance with which.-ho begs for limelight may be annoying, but after all you will find that the peoplo will not take very much-notice of one who is so suggestive of homo, rather than of yir. But that is no reason why. hia ■' claimi should escape analysis.—l am, etc., • ' . , • ■ PASTOR. . AUgUSt.I4. . .'■ '" :.l -.' . ..■■.:'''