TAX AND GOVT.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1932, Page 8

TAX AND GOVT.

RADICAL CHANGES PROPOSED

CITIZEN’S NATIONAL MOVEMENT

Radical changes in the Government ana Constitution of New Zealand are demanded in a manifesto which has oeen presented to the Prime .Minister, (tlie lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes) and members of Parliament by the Citizens’ Movement. Mr E. W. Nicolaus is the organiser of this movement, waich was founded in October.. last. .1 Jong explanation and argument are appended to the manifesto, which declares in brief:—

“We the members of .the Citizens’ National Movement, in the interests of olie people of .New Zealand, realising tiie extremely serious position of the people with regard to their material ..eiiare, and knowing that this condition has been brought aboilt by human injustice and mismanagement, da .mierniuy urge you to immediately set aooLiL Undoing tne wrong unuer wnicn tin.-, people is surtcruig:

•\Ve advise you tnat this wron 0 consists of: >

"(a) Heating the economic rent a.i private, lnste.id of common property, ihe result'ueing, btate borrowing anu mortgages on and and in regarding -lie p.iyineiit ot tlie interest on tiiese «ia ot iui|juriihiiti3 ‘tiicin tiit3 wt?ii.d'e, nealui, and me oi tile people '-ot tins nonunion.

•(d) rn tne Government unjustly lancing irom tne inui.iuual by taxation tnat which belongs to him b, <‘gnc. ■ ; ill diuy and unfairly 'dLii'iminaung between individuals vviieii imposing taxation. '•(a) interfering with and hampering sunie trades and industries while j octet mg, siicitermg, and suesKiiSin^ others. (c j 111 the Government’s callous jiu coitteu.pLuuuS' treatmeiit of tno citizens Known as tne Unempoyed an.. tueir uopeudei.t.., and in tneir rights as eipial citizens or thicountry. V

• lb the Government’s using of puLiiic fund's for private gain. "(g)” in the uovernmeiit s /migrant disregard of the r.gnts of man to: ■ i.i j The. whole of his production. (2) An equal opportunity to en. joy to tne mil tile pleasures of the. afe. (o) An equal rignt to the use c;. tiie land of this Dominion, namely, am ...puli share in tlie economic rent. 'Hu... disregard has brougnt about the fol iO.nng anomalies: (I) That those whir iaoour most keep those who laboui:i mast. U) That the vast majorit.,.. have only their labour to sell, an.,; •that in a very restricted market. (3) That .only a lew have the right to the.; use of the land of this Dominion.

“We, the Citizens’ National Movement, demand, in the interests of the people of New Zealand, that thos wrongs be righted forthwith in a just moral, and economic manner, taking 110 regard to custom habit, or traditional laws; and we further . ipy.itc. you to seriously ' study and discus: these oil]' means of' bringing about 1 lasting'prosperity to the people of tlii land. ’ - -

“(1) The revenue for Government purposes to be derived from the eco nomie rent of ail land in the Dominion of New Zealand, namely, five per ,'cent per annum, or more as the circumstances warrant .of the unimproved value of the bare land.

“(2) By stopping all, taxation direct or indirect.

“ (3) By immediately revaluing al l land owned and/or occupied in New Zealand by means of a regional planning board. “(4) By stopping immediately all State advances of money and loans or credit as an equivalent of money, t< individuals and corporate bodies. /

“(!)) By stopping all State borrowing whatsoever.

“('6) By allowing economic laws t r take tliejr natural course with fegar to all contracts, exchange, function cf currency, credit, etc. “(7) Bv introducing the following electoral reforms:—(a) By dividing New Z aland into 24 geographical electorates. (b) By equalising the voting power of the peple by abolishing the 28 per cent, country quota, (v) Bv introducing the referendum, ''d) B\ the election of members of Baidiamem by proportional representation. (e) By the immediate rescinding of the law which allows Cabinet to pass and "tit into operation laws by Order-in-Council. ‘ We. the members of the Citizens' National Movement, know* that thesi proposed chances in the social laws conform to the economic and moral I’ws. therefore they are just laws, the introduction of which cannot hid have a beneficial effect upon the whole of a society, abolishing, ns they do special privilege and monopoly "hict some people or sections of people enjoy over other sections.”