AFTER WAR PROBLEMS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 424, 8 November 1918, Page 1

AFTER WAR PROBLEMS

How can we best obtain National Efficiency? By T. H. Tidd, Manurewa, October 24th, 1918. Having been asked on numerous occasions to put into concrete form a summary of my last article on the above question, I now have much pleasure in presenting this paper, and trust that it may, at least, contain some new thoughts worthy of consideration by those who not only are honestly endeavouring to grapple with present-day problems, but those also who wish this our enviable Dominion to obtain a standard of national efficiency in its present needs and future welfare. the cost or production - . Naturally we are becoming much alarmed at the rapid increase in the cost of living and many other economic questions; but, before any solution can be advanced, a big reduction in the cost of production must first !>e effected, and this, I ruaiutaio, can unly be brought about by a permanent settlement of the all-important Land question. FREEHOLD WEIGHED IN TITE BALANCES Those who perhaps have given insufficient thought to the situation may think it a mistake to alter our sj-called " freehold " land tenure, but a system that is blocking ali chance of increasing production, and has already enabled sections of the community to rake scores of millions of pounds off the lund by way of the unearned increments, and, further, permitted others to absorb practically the whole benefits that the refrigerator and other scientific inventions should have conferred upon the whole community, and ultimately have passed on to posterity, surely needs speedy alteration. Who can stand and boast of our present system of land tenure, niton, in fact, it has added, in a fow years, not loss than 100 to GOO per cent increase to fanning land values, thereby so increasing the burdens upon the vast miij irity of present-day farmers that they are bi ing (squeezed out of ■iction by the accumulation of mortgagee and excessive rates of interest ': What t-banco is there, under present conditions of reducing the heavy cost of living, which has mercilessly fallen upon every householder in the Dominion? So rapid has been the advance in land values and all f:trm Mquitritea that a continual riso in the cost of food supplies is inevitable unless a satisfactory solution is discovered. Think of the millions of

pounds that have been, and are still being, heaped on to absurd land values in order to pay commissions on land sales, lawyers' transfer fees, Government stamp duties, advertisements, etc. Is it any wonder that in a very short time mortgages now shouldered bv farmers on unpaid purchase moneys have increased by millions. Under our boasted freehold tenure a farm has only to be sold and exchanged a few times, when more than half the real value of the land is eaten up by those who really add nothing either to production nor to the wealth of the Dominion. Imagine what hideous burdens are accumulating to be unduly shouldered by posterity, and who, by the way, will be prepared to accept the responsibility of a drastic revolution that assuredly must develop unless our land and economic problems are seriously taken in hand and rectified by strong and capable statesmen. Statesmen who have the country's welfare at heart, and as opposed to political grafters, selfinterested mortgagees, and big land holders, who cannot see anything but class interest. DECREASED VALUE OF T3E £.

As the spending value of the sovereign has generally decreased by about 50 per cent, during the last few years, and the earning capa city of our farming lands, in most cases, been far exceeded by land values, the conscripting of 50 per cent, each of all monetary wealth and land values will equalise the" situation and bring about a much needed adjustment in present fictitious values of both money and land. Thus, besides going a long way towards extinguishing our war debt, it will place this Dominion in a fair way to compete with other parts of the world who are everywhere reorganising their economic resources to moot the altered conditions brought about by disastrous warfare, as indicated by the following cablegram of October 17th instant: " Ottawa : The Methodist Church of Canada has launched a movement to combine the Churches to fight for the abolition of the present economic system, production for profit to be replaced by production for use." MOKE PRODUCTION WANTED It is surely plainly apparent to any thinking person that if national eiiiciency is to be enjoyed in New Zealand farming lands must be freed from the encumbrances that are blocking progress and preventing occupation and development of our natural resources. With only about one in five of our male population on the land, from whence 90 per cent. of our wealth is derived, something certainly must be done to increase their numbers, even though it means drastic alterations in our social, political, commercial, and industrial life. It is useless at the present juncture to advocate the sacredness of wealth, when the lives of sons, husbands, fathers, and brothers are being conscripted and sacrificed in the common cause of the nation. AN INCREASE IN PKODUCEBS. Enormously increased revenue has to be found, and the only way open to us to meet this emergency is by doubling our primary productions This point is readily admitted, but it is surprising how very few have anything to say about bow it is to be done or how the difficulties that lie in the way are to be overcome. The only suggestion that seems forthcoming is "construct more railways and make good roads," all of which is, of course, to be paid for by further taxing struggling settlers; but are there not millions of acres adjacent to railways and already roaded still left practically idle ? There must be a cause for this neglect of farming pursuits in this speciallyendowed agricultural country. As a gardenor administers drastic treatment to fungoid growths under hi-* observation, so here must the cause h-> discovered and removed, irrespective of sentiment. Funning hmrts must be set free from the encun>bcr amjpg tint are preventing their development, and be thrown open t > nil those desirous of engaging in pro duction labours, regulated by a f.iii annual rental. EXEMI'I I'UOM i uxseiurriox Suppose the individual amount allowrd as exempt from conscription he fixed at Xl.ooo, whether held in mortgages, war-bonds, shires, farming lauds, stock, business premises, or so on. Over and above this amount a graduated scale increasing lire per cent, with each additional £l,Ouo could be fixed. Thus, a parson whose estate was worth up to £I,OOO only would bo wholly exempt from conscription, while an estate worth up to £2,000 would subscribe L'-V) ; up toi'o.OOO, £1.')0 ; £5,000, £7)1)0: £lo,ooo,would pay ,i.7,L''ei; £20,000, £0,500 ' Under thi-j adjustment, £10,500 would bo the total amount amount allowed to any ono individual. However, this amount iuvesied in Government securities ''which could be made free of death due, income tax, etc ) would provide an income of about £|o por week, and the receiver would bo free to supplement this in accordance to the value of his own labours. There certainly appears no loopholo for the wealthy to shuffle their fair share of taxation on to others, and it would bo a most effective way of getting at those who nro reported to have made as much as £I,OOO a day war profits by exploiting the community. (To be continued.)