REFORM CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1163, 26 June 1911, Page 6

REFORM CAMPAIGN

SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY. ;?iNGL'E V tAX: ROBBERY OR"INSANITY. ;{; FRENZIED FINANCE* (By.;Tclcsraph — Special Correspondent.* "-:' Auckland, June 25. In; tho course of his, address at PHkefcohfliJtho Leader,of the (Opposition (Mr. llassey) 6aid the adoption of' the system' of sihglo te involved tho placing of tho whole] burden of taxation upon the people connected with the laud, whereas the principle which was the basis of taxation in New Zealand .lit the present timo was that''every member of tho community should contribute to tho revenue of tho country in proportion to his ability. (Applause.) Tho single-taxer proposed to divide tho people into two classes—those V'ho'hnd on interest in tho-land and those who'had no interest in tho land, and to place upon tho former class tho whole burden of taxation, multiplying the taxation to which .they had formerly been subject by perhaps 10. Single tax was either robbery or insanity. A->,voice: Both.

Speaking of the mortgngo tax, Mr. .Hassey said that while money lent upon 'the Security of laud was subjected to a Jpecial taxation, money borrowed for investment in any industrial enterprise was exempted from any such liability, and the man who borrowed the money upon tho -security of his land had indirectly to pay tho mortgage tax. What he proposed was that tho moneys placed in tho Post' Office Savings Bank should be made ?t a i 1? le to t,le He was confident tnafc-the majority of the depositors would po better satisfied if their savings wcro lcnt; ; to hard-working settlers upon tho K'Cunty of their' farm-holdings, instead m tO;tno Government. ;'' Land .Valuation. Mr.' -FowMs : had been almost as'mis-' leading in his remarks upon land valuations as on other subjects, though ho had been quite right in describing the excessive valuation'of the land as an engine" of extortion, which was used against the farmers. In many cases the valuations were too high, though by using figures ■that-were fivo or six years old Mr. iowlds had presented tho position ,in a moro favourable light. Not only was that .so, but in.almost every case the improvements were not properly exempted, Bo tllat the moro a man improved bis land tho higher was his valuation. He gave two instances of the increases made in. tho valuations.on holdings in Pukckohe. In one ease the valuation had increased from .62810 to £5900, and in another from .C2IGO to JUIJO. During his journeying through the IJominion, Mr. Massey said ho had met thousands of'people for'the first time, nnd ho had found that the great majority of : them were in sympathy with the Opposition, for they now realised that the party had not been working in its own interest, but that'it had been doing its best for the country and for the welfare of its; people,' The Opposition endeavoured to ensure a clean, honest, and economical administration, and to guard ngninst a state of things in which anything in the way of spoils to the victors,improper political patronage, or improper political administration would be possible; also to ledtico the taxation' which was now excessively high. , Mr. Massey explained "at length the character of thoJJine charges, and added tliat though Mr. Hine had proved ui> to tho hilt eight of tho eleven charges which he| had made, ho had been slandered and vilified and belittled in every part of tho country. His action had been of the greatest benefit,to the country, and he deserved the thahkl.of-every'right-thinking man in tho community. (Applause.)-

;. "Tod; Furious .to Last." '■/ ,'' Contiriiiiag,-Mr. Massey said ho 'might uso with equal force tho words applied-byv.Jq,hn v ßallanCo when he -said that for 20 .ycarstfho country,hadiiia'fclii ed at a pace too furious to last, and reached a state,.of. things that should make sane men'pause. Tho fact was that whilcthe country-was prosperous its-pub-lic affairs wero'boing badly managed, arid though he had been accused of discrediting the country, thero was the fact that the most damaging statement in reference to New Zealand had come,from, the Prime Minister, who had .declared 'at Deyonport that if the' Government stopped borrowing half the people would'become insolvent, and two-thirds of them would be deprived of employment. Instead of money, being sent from New Zealand for. invostihcnt in London, every encouragement should be given for English people to invest their capital in the development of tha Dominion's resources, No country had ever'been made prosperous by increased taxation, and he .declared that, when another million' -was taken from tho pockets of the people la-1 year it was frenzied finance, and the injurious •effect of such administration would Biirely be felt.

Tho speaker', emphasised the need for reform .in the management of tho railways, instancing the need for a revision of the local and the special rates, while in many cases the charge? were ' altogether, disproportionate to the value' of tmv articles. ;/■« >'■■. . .' '

Speaking on .the land oucstion, Mr. Massey condemned the legislation, which so handicappedi.the settler who-took up land on renqwabl.e lear.o when he .had no enpital that it made him dependent for all time and deprived him of the option oi'the freehold when he.had Obtained f.l lo financial ability to purchase it. It was an extraordinary state of thines thai peonlo should h„ leaving the Pominion win o. some ...millions of acres of Xative land.-were. ,b-'"g-idlp end contributing nothing to. tho State. The peonle who made such pronorals a, were .embodied''in,the Land. Bill of.last session must 1m ignor- « ii i , cn W.nally ignorant: and people of.that, chaTacfflr,were not fit to be' at the head of .affairs. ;■ * :