The Globe. SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 982, 18 August 1877, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1877.

An examination of the land sales of the colony since its foundation furnishes a telling argument in favor of the imposition of a land tax as a legitimate means of reaching that large class, who have gained so immensly at the expense of the people of New Zealand. Wo have before us a return showing the land sales in the various provinces, with the cash received therefrom, up to December 31st, 1875. The return is not absolutely correct, as in the case of most of the provinces it does not include the cash paid for land sold before sth July, 1850. But the information it contains is well worthy of study by those who are interested in this important question. The following table tells its own story : Land Cash

11,340,999 £7,715,063 From the above return it will be seen that the land sales of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland amount to 4,187,951 acres, realising £5,572,851, or considerably over £1 per acre. This is no doubt due, in a great measure, to the high price which Canterbury has received for her lands. But even Otago and Southland have not sacrificed their land in the reckless manner in which some of the other provinces have done, for they received on an average, as near as possible, £1 per acre for all the land they sold. The most glaring case of course is that of Auckland, where no less than 2,128,225 acres were disposed of, and the total cash received only amounted to £312,228. Auckland got rid of 440,671 acres of land in the shape of grants to immigrants, and 232,031 acres were disposed of to satisfy old land claims, or were set apart for native and public reserves, and for military settlers. The land got rid of in the above form amounts, throughout the whole colony, to no less than 877,080 acres, Canterbury’s share being 274,990 acres, and that of Otago 250,298 acres. No one will say that the average price at which land has been sold throughout the colony, especially outside the limits of Canterbury and Otago, has been such as to fairly represent its value, even at the time it was disposed of. Had such been the case, it would have passed into the hands of the bona fide occupier. But, instead, it has been in a great many cases monopolised by men who have shut out settlement entirely. Owing to the laches of the various Provincial Governments the colony has been cheated out of its land fund to the benefit of the few lucky speculators who purchased thousands of acres of valuable land at a merely nominal price. But not only has those provinces thrown away the land of the people for next to nothing, wo have since borrowed millions to improve them in value, and instead of calling upon those who are enriched thereby, to contribute towards the interest, we throw the burden on the shoulders of the people. It is high time these gentlemen were forced to contribute their just share towards the burden of the colony, and there is no fairer way of reaching them than by means of a land tax.

L.0.L., Katapoi. —The annual summoned meeting of members of tins lodge was held in the hall of the order, Sewell street, on Thursday evening. There was a large attendance and a number of new members initiated. The officers elected were Bros. T. Ballantyne (reelected), W.M.; E, Kevcll, D.M.; A. Millard, secretary ; 1). Heoney, treasurer ; and Messrs T. Drabble, A. Batch, J. Birnio, W. Fraser, and C, Young, members of committee.

Disposed of. Deceived. £. Auckland ... 2,128,225 acres 312,228 Tar ana Id (IS,758 ,, .. . 34,335 Hawkes Bay ... 073,858 „ .. . 387,080 Wellington ... 1,582,002 „ .. . 554,340 Nelson ... 020,485 ,, .. . 416,056 Marlborough ... 887,127 „ .. . 270.319 Canterbury .. 2.014,506 ,, .. .3,128,126 Westland 84,580 „ .. . 55,972 Otago ... 1,795,274 „ . 1,618,558 Southland ... 877,980 „ .. . 826,057