THE NEW LAND BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 924, 17 September 1910, Page 10

THE NEW LAND BILL.

[f. i x ■?' Sir,—l shall feel greatly indebted to <. yim'-.if you will : grant me enough oi your [' valuable spacc to ©liable roe to ask a few {•' more .or leas 'pertinent questions about [" .fchie monstrositythat tiie Ward party has. produced. I have been under the impres--11.. -' eion: for .'many years , that our ..Government' ,vafi proud \it possessing democratic- prm- ' cipics; in.foot, practically - Socialistic; and thatrit; was- their, determination ,to : 'put' ,&s much as ; possible,. oa : ,the; •. same' level.', In th©" hew; Laud Bill -ithiS;. principle is' discarded/' for there isa • thick - line drawn on the. slate ..at the : euin of .<£40,000 when the Tax Department ; '.is engaged.on its gums, in, connection with .'VVfowL- Appawi-Uy ihti owuer 1 of- of • ;• an'' uiiimproved valuo .of is an. • ordinary'>peac«able;and%moral. inhabitant • v''.of the.country,-but -he.who is unfortunate f • ••' ; enough to bo possessed of land valued at " -:C • £40,001-.is; a. ruftian and' a menace to th© ; ; wiintry'a..prosperity. •' .• • . • The: hew Bill to' pay. 4J. per . cent, as rent ;tb'the man who ; is ruffitm. ©npugh to ow*n worth, of Mnd, but [' : has.: nonobjection ,to ' the upright,, peace* I : -able owiier of -£39,999 making rts large a [: '• - percentage on -his: Capitid v ns he is ; able [ this in keeping with .democratic '..V principles? -Is -it .humanly possible, for r .: any valuer to-make so fine''and. exact , a f ' .Taluation. of',a large block of country, as :■ .'■'.■.-it would be, as. to classify a ■-man the ; addition .or subtraction-of wl («ne pound sterling), a 'iwffiab.-or. a'.P®acef ful, law-abiding being? .Would it bo ■ absolutely impossible, -iii the.event of a / valuation, excoedingthe .margin .or. r: .£40,000, by ono pound sterling,,: to. coerce • the valuer into reducing his £2? If rumour is -not -a "lying.jade, a ' . •: few months back ' such a course- would -have been quite, feasible,' and. wquld have, resultedin. the dc-iiTcd efiect at a cost. ■ Is *it not possible/, that the ;, owner who ; v misses boing ; .fair: game for the Govern- . ' rnent may bo making; a better, return on S v his!- country than 1 the: man whom.-the uo- . verhmeDt intend to treat relentlessly.' , UI ' coutso. it 'is. 'possible! . Yet the °, ne ,, ls- •, forced to, accept; 45 per cent:,- and the. other may be ? making probably twice ttet, : for, no man: would .bo inad enough • to .undergo the work, hardship; and oppressio'n': that >.. working bis JAhd entails / : -:fea;pro^ "V in'ireplyto this rfatoinent, may. w that . nnier . &e provision^the; new .Bm. tn# owner of property ;;which ■ is leased ,by th« \ Government; does not work his and. ' : yet'gets a-Tental o: -4J per cent. _To such criticism a. fair..reply would, .1-thinfc be ihat .he.' could ' got a. far better return for'his money than. 4$ per cent, from almost any other 'mortga«oo, and . witti a creator confidence of. itsT]eing' : paid; v 'Whu; is .the grentcst mainstay of. • the . eountry? i: Who'contributes as. a ..class the ft most :revenue? Is it not the ma.n on the . land, th'e sheepfarnier ?:.. Yet taxed and persecuted more, than any. other bainj in the country. ' . , 1 ;Q,.: \ : > "Mr. Beauehampi I. believe, .made -a .. Btatoment at the annual:meeting of the - Bank .of New: Zealand .that there want of confidence amongst .investors in investing money in the country. - .This • statement has ijecn wildly denied ,by the ;:!: "Ward party.Hut. nevertheless it. is_.true, i ■. aid I venture to say.'sii - , 'that if this r.ew. Bill, or any Bill including such con- ■' ■ fisiatory clauses, is. passed,; it will not. be. ' n, .'case of want of confidence, it'-will '' ; Mroply- be -a matter .of ' 'iio" confidence. : Thanking v you' -in . anticipation.—l am, ' ® tC '' ' DISGUSTED. ■.v : . September; 12, 1910. \;' .