THE SHILLING KATE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 67, 16 April 1880, Page 2

THE SHILLING KATE.

TO THE EDITOR OF TilE MANAWATU HERALD. Sir — With regard to tho shilling rate and Mr Halcombc's speech »it a recent meeting of the County Gonnoil. That gentleman remarked that the shilling rate would only affect the rich. Now, Sir, I will show that is false. For instance, take farmers from 100 acres downwards. The rates upon two to one hundred acres would be about £7. Now. there is not more than one in ten of the small farmers that have got more than one-third of the laud cleared, consequently tho rates on the

cleared land amounts to a heavy rent, and the smaller the owner the heavier the rate in comparison. Farmers are generally men with largo famine, and have to struggle hard for a living. This shilling rate is simply taking the bread out of their mouths, and clothing them in rags. This is what Mr Halcombe call 3 pushing the country ahead, and progress. Unconscionable gentlemen will push themselves into the position of members under thd disguise of doinsr their best for the settlors, but for no other purpose than thnn to scheme and suit themselves. Before concluding, I think the above facts will bear me out in stating that tho action of the Maxawatu Herald with regard to the shilling rate, exactly concurs with tiio ideas of the settlers, and consequently it hns become the subject of general admiration throughout the whole of the County. A s for the action of the rival paper, their action has been out of all reason ; in fact, the Manawatu Times is full of nothing but his Worship tho Mayor, of which its readers are heartily tired. I am, &c, SETTLEU. Moutoa, Bth April, 1380.