Mr. Arkwright's Rreply.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 68, 25 November 1890, Page 3

Mr. Arkwright's Rreply.

Bemarks on the political "platform 1 adopted by the Feilding United As sembly of the Knights of Labour. ■1. That arbitration be made compulson in all labor disputes ? — I understand th< proposal of the Knights of Labor to be - that a court should' be appointed, witl: ontf. of the fudges as president, to whicr all trade disputes should be referred. I think there would be practical difficulties in Lithe way of enforcing the decisions 01 Hiehaeourt; but if the working men ol the colony wish the experiment to be tried I should not oppose it. Of course the cases to be referred to the court would be those in which a whole trade, or a large body of menj were interested ; not private disputes. between an individual working _an and bis employer. 2. Tha* a tax be imposed on the unimproved value of land in lieu of the Property •Tax and of Customs' Duties on the necessaries of life to the extent .of £250,000 ?— I cordially approve of the principle of taxing the unimproved value of land, and would support any measure to carry out that principle ; whether it took the form of a Land Tax, or (which I should prefer) of a change in the mode of valuing land for Property Tax, . I do not, however, approve of the total abolition of the Property Tax. I presume that the Knights of Labor (though they do not say so) agree with jue that personal property ought not to escape taxation ; and if so, the choice lies between the present tax on the capital ■value or an Income Tax.. For reasons into which I cannot enter now, I think the Income Tax is a mode of raising xe venue which is not suited to the circumstances of this country, and that it is advisable to retain the Property Tax; at . Any rate so far as personal property is •concerned., .A.B regards Customs Duties, I should gladly see them abolished altogether,. except as a means of raising Tevenqe from objects of luxury. A portion of tha .revenue lost by the reduction of Custpnis-. Duties might.be raised by means of>a graduated tax on all kinds of \ property. I see ho objection to such a tax in principle, and within moderate . limits would gladly support it. ■ < 3.- That the; sale of Crown Lands and the wholesale trade.in Native lands shall I am in favor of stopping the " . >aale of Crown Lands, and should like to ".•see something done to prevent Native lands ; falling into.tue hands of speculators. The question of dealing with Native lands, ' however, is so full of difficulties that I der cline to pledge myself to any particular measure. I think the Government should take csteps to obtain possession of these lands as rapidly aa possible on fair and - terms. • , r . 4. That a legally recognised day's work ' ,^fiall .consist of eight hours? — I think ; _ .eight : .hours quite sufficient for a day's work under ordinary circumstances, but as the eight hour day is universally recognised by custom throughout the colony, , I confess- 1 cannot see the advantage of 7 legislation on the subject. As, however, '-[such legislation seems to be generally desired by the working classes, I si ould not object to support a Bill declaring a . day's work to be eight hours in the absence of a special agreement to the contrary. . '.:..-■ . . : s., That a special tax be levied on absentee land-holders ? — I do not approve of this proposal, plausible as it may ap- ~ pear at first sight. The number of absentees is not large, and it would not be worth while to impose such a tax for the sake of the revenue to be derived from it ; yet I think it is a mistake to use taxation for any other purpose than that of raising revenue. The tax here proposed would be of a penal nature, and would, I think, be rery unjust in many cases. I have no sympathy with men who make fortunes in the colony and then go to spend them in Europe ; still less with those who buy • land here 4 as a speculation, and let it lie unimproved till they can sell it at a profit. Bat the first of these classes is not a large one, and is, I believe, decreasing ; while the. case of the latter would be met by the tax on the-unimproved value of land. 6. That tHere^be no private or political railways^? — I think the Government ought toi construct all railways in the future ; but I do not know that it would be wise to buy up such an undertaking as the "Midland" railway in the South Islard. - 7. That the Legislative Council be abolished?— l cannot support this pro- , posal. I think a second chamber is a most valuable institution, so long as it acts only as a check on hasty legislation, and - is not sufficiently powerful to really thwart the popular will. -I have been asked whether I would support a measure for making the Council elective The only objection I have to this proposal is that it would have the effect of making the Council a much more powerful body than it is at present without adding much to its efficiency foi good. Of coarse the system of nominator is indef nsible in theory, but in practice 1 think it works as well as any other. Mem bers, however, ought to be appointed for t ttroi of years and not for life ; and I cer tainly think they ought not to be paid. 8. That State aid to secondary school: shall cease as far as practicable ? — I agre< ■with this. : "■ Francis Abkwright. Overton, Marton, October 18, 1890. fMr Arkwright, when he consented to thi - above being published, stipulated tha it should be explained his answers \ver< merely intended as a record of wha had been said at a personal inter vie v with a deputation, and had he intends • them for publication he should have ex plained his views more fully.— Ei F.S.J _____