THE PRIMIER AT THE THAMES

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 51, 24 May 1884, Page 2

THE PRIMIER AT THE THAMES

Majoii Atkinson arrived by tbe Rotomahana on Tuesday, May 2Uth. He was met at the steamer by the Mayor, the County Chairman, and the members I of local bodies, was driven to Parawai, and visited the Imperial mine, the Golden Crown, and Herald batteries and the Big Pump. He was also shown .l he Queen of Beauty mine. He received a number of deputations at four o'clock at the Borough Chambers, amongst which were the following :—: — The Mayor, as chairman of the Railway Company, asked whether there was any likelihood of land apart from this district being granted to the directors, to enable them to carry out the agreement for the construction of the line, which had just been received from the i English syndicate.-^Majttr Atkinson said there was no provision for such a proposal, but he asked that a copy of the agreement referred to should be sent to Wellington, whe"n he would consider the matter. Messrs Kowe and Greenville explained the Minei's Kight grievance, and Major Atkinson promised to carefully consider the complaint. After the public meeting, Mr J. D. Walker brought under the notice of the Premier a scheme by which it is proposed to work some of the abandoned mines in the Upper Waiotahi district. He explained that the erection of a wire tramway from the old Australasian ground, at a cost of about £1350 or £1400, would form an important part of the plan by which it was hoped th<»«o mines could again be sot at work. He : submitted to tne Premier letters, estimates, &c, connected with the project. The Premier, having read the papers through, expressed a dotibfc as to whether any vote existed which would meet this particular cape, but said he would see whether there was, and in the meantime he asked Mr Walker to furnish him with copies of the documents, so that he might obtain a report from Mr Gordon regarding the mutter. jhe address was delivered in the Academy of Music, and commenced at 8 o'clock. The Mayor occupied the chair. Tli e Premier was received with aj>-

plnuse. He expressed thanks for;ti»eV Thames having asked him to visit the, district. Jie owed an apology for ho ft/ visiting it before, Imt he irntl foun ! puin lie business too milch for him. He had not been able to give the deputation ad satisfactory answers as he could have! liked. Tnis aro^e from the necessity of his position, and not from want of sympathy. He had. as he was glad to say, been able to help the district somewhat in times past. The Premier here stated his scheme for selling" native lands through the Waste Lands Board, upon which natives should bo represented. Land tenure was a question exercising the minds of men generally over the 1 world. The freehold system was not considered entirely satisfactory. Even in Ireland freedom of contract was infringed upon by the most conservative of Legislatures, the House of Lords j for the British Government had come in between landlord and tenant. Government intended to propose next session not to allow any pastoral land to be sold. It was a great great mistake to try to intioluce any great experimental measure of radical reforms suddenly. It ?nust hq done' gradually ; but it would be unwise if they did not try some experiment of a kind which perhaps might be more satisfactory than freehold. He had generally found miners well posted in politics. The speaker deprecated a laud tax, if imposed to break up larire estates. A land tax was a capital on the men now in possession. If a man were about to buy £100 worth of land, kit Govern - menr imposed £1 on the land, the buyer would say it is not now worth that vab:e. Why not tax fie 100 sovereigns as well is the land ? The people who were cultivating the land made the least profit. The big holders in the colony were nofc very many. Were they justified, in order to get at these big holdeis, in putting a tax on those who were not doing as well as their neig'ibonrs ? Government had in preparation a Domesday Book which would show the holdings of every man in his own name in every county and town. Large estates could justifiably be taken for the purposes of State on payment of fair compensation. If they found the present owners were not dealing with the* land to the best advantage, the State could take it. On these terms no progressive land tax would ever break up large estates. He had never been able to see that the land-owners occupied a position of great profit, as represented by Henry George. The land of Great Britain was estimated at 1200 millions. It was the mortgagees, the accumulated wealth, who were receiving the profits, not the landlords. He had satisfied himself that land did not absorb the unearned increment ; that it was really given to capital in a greater degree. Why should the holder of the land be taxed and the man who held the mortgage go scot free. An income tax taxed both the property of the man and his skill, while the property tax only was imposed on what he could leave behind him in realised wealth. The income tax fell very heavily on small and middle men- He had taken 146 of the heaviest taxpayers and found they would have to pay Is 3d income tax to equal what they paid under the property tax. Two men earn £1000 a year ; one puts by £s')o and the otuer spends all. Next year one will have to pay rroperty tax oii £500 saved, and the other will have been already taxed through consuming 1 dutable goods purchased by the £1000 spent. Big men spent large sums ill houses and # pictures, and were content with smaller profit, therefore they werei more lightly taxed than the smaller men. The speaker referred to the inquisitorial character of the English, and the annoying nature of the American income tax. The latid tax as a penal tax would fail as a revenue one If a revenue tax it would fail as a penal tax. The Premier next referred to the deficit, and explained that in a country where its staples fluctuated in price there would be a deficit, unless there was a surplus sufficient to anticipate any deficit. We should aim at equal taxation, settle the lands,and encourage local industries. We should purchase locally manufactured articles. It was of far more importance that they should return an upright honest man than that he should be of any party. As the speaker concluded there was prolonged applause. A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mi- Brodie, and seconded by Mr G. S< Clarke, was accorded to the Premier for his address. The vote having been proposed and passed, the Premier volunteered to answer any question put. Several were* then put and answered. The Premier promised to give the miners 1 rights grievance very careful consideration. He was afraid there were not sufficientlands available for the railway. He" would, however, assist in the hiatter all he could. The Major was frequently interrupted by semi-hostile ejaculations,- which he" adroitly turned to advantage.