Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1892. Labour in Politics.

Manawatu Herald, 21 June 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1892. Labour in Politics.

• A Queemsland newspaper flattered our present Ministry that they were the moat advanced on the labour pftt-fcy views of any of the Australasian

Governments. An election is now going on in Queensland and a labour candidate, chosen by the labour party, has just issued an address giving his and his party's views. The point of the most importance, con Airing it being, as stated, that our Government is treading nearer to ihese views than* any other this side of the world, is that the candidate desires " a tax on land values, irrespective of improvements, instead of through the Customs." In the face of this demand, small farm ov " should consider t.V> A • " , — • t 0 h~— ' urooabihties as —rr xong Mr Ballattce will pose as their great friend. The small benefit accorded to them, under the Land Tax, is for why and for ho'w long? The increase permitted in the claim fov exemptions for improvements in the Act was simply made to secure the support of the small land owners to the infliction of the penal tax upon the large land owners, and it will be only retained until the objections of the large owners are over-ruled, and then the small men's time will come. We are not saying this simply to aid a party, we are merely calling upon the small farmers to consider the matter for themselves. Mr Ballance desires to retain power, and that can only be done, if even then, by the labour vote, and to secure their votes ho must give a quid pro quo. The labour party desire that land should pay all 'charges, that Customs should be freed, and thus, if they are successful, all land, it little matters in what proportion the tax may be between one sized property to another, as all land must be taxed to find the amount to replace the Customs duties. The candidate we refer to desires a State Bank, aud a Labour department, which is to give work to all applicants who apply to it, as a right. Our Government have an idea of tlia same sort. We have the labour department which, at present, is going smoothly, but the day may come, at any time, when the Government will have to execute works simply to employ men at eight shillings a day because they dislike the work provided by the farmer at a lesser rate. If a man, necessarily one not contributing to the cost of the colony, is recognised as having the right to demand labour at full rates, with the establishment of a State Bank, he would clamour to possess the right to have a good overdraft, and why should he not ? He, and the majority of his party would then be in power, and would* exercise the privilege of voting for every expenditure towards which not one farthing had they contributed. The " labour " man could dress cheap, drink cheap, smoke cheap, when this happy day, for him, arrives, and it will be the foolish owners and occupiers of land who would toil and slave, for as the labour party are fond of asserting " everything comes from the land, so the land should pay everything.' Yet Mr Ballance claims to be the small fanners friend ! ! !