THE PROGRESSIVE LEAGUE. Auckland, May 14.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 369, 18 May 1889, Page 3

THE PROGRESSIVE LEAGUE. Auckland, May 14.

Tiih usual meeting of the Progressive League was hold at Kobson's Booms last evening. The President occupied the chair. Mr C. T. Renshaw opened in support of the ten " Single Tax " points brought forward at the previous meeting. He first of all explained that the "Single Tax " scheme involves the abolition of all other taxes and the substitution for them of a " single direct tax on land values exclusive of improvements," such tax to be gradually increased till it absorbs the whole ground rent : and then taking each of the points separately supported them by strong and powerful arguments. The following are the points :— (1) The " single tax " does away with all taxes on labour and its products, thus giving a great impetus to trade, raieing wages and lessening cost of living. (2) The abolition of our present complex system of raising taxes and rates would greatly simplify governmental and municipal function?, thus enabling Government and City Councils to take over all things that are essentialy monopolies and run them in the interests of the public, (S) The "single tax" takes the ground rent and uses it tor public purposes (improvements, etc. ), thus benefiting the whole community and raising the value of the public domain. (4) It kills off land speculation, thus making all unused and unoccupied land free, and giving labour free access to the resources of nature. (5) By freeing labour and- its products from taxation and giving free access to land, it gives to each the full product of his labour. (6) ifc does away with private land monopoly and the resulting white industrial slavery, misery, poverty, and crime. (7) It exempts all improvements from taxation, thus encouraging improvements, affording more opportunities for labour and raisingwages. (8) Capital could no longer be locked up in land, it must be used or it will waste ; therefore it must be used in industries, thus again causing a rise in wages. (9) It takes away that factor (land monopoly) in our present system which makes competition, increase of population, and labour saving machinery in themselves beneficent agents, injurious, to the working man. (10) It means, in short, absolute free trade, justice, and liberty ; and opens the way for a, universal federation of mankind for universal peace, happiness and contentment. Considerable discussion followed. Messrp, Farrington, Chapman and Pheney spoke against Messrs West, White and Withy for, the above propositions.