THE LAW OF DISTRESS.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1789, 23 November 1895, Page 3

THE LAW OF DISTRESS.

CRIME PROTECTED BY LAW. A NECESSARY REFORM. In no phase of legislation ,is the dis- ‘ tinction of one law tor the poor and; another for the rich more evident than in the'lavr of distress. If one man ; steals another’s property in the ordin- . ary course, a thief goes, to goal, but if an unscrupulous Shylock wishes to steal another man’s goods he can Invoke the machinery of the law to tect-his crime and he can securely carry out his’theft under, the majesty of a bun bailiff and a complicated pro-. ; cess of legal theft called interpleader. /How if Shylock wants- to steal by the as proxy he ought to go to goal it the same way as tne common thief and' the'.bailiff- who lends him- ■" self to such a swindle ought to be sent to keep "his own principal company. This class .legislation is one of the vilest curses of society. It creates Anarchist.and saps the foundation of ;/.the State. • Let there be law for rich <:i an<f poor alike, and if' the. rich man wants to steal another’s property, the la w should give him no more protection* than it gives the poor man. Then again Why should a landlord be placed in any better position than any other creditor. ■ ; What moral right is there in a law 4 which says that the landlord can collar all his tenant’s property, .while the storekeeperj who ■.supplies-, all naces*. saries: oflifef should lose all. ; -/ Another salutary reform would be the raising of the amount on which .. distress can he levied. In- California

this principle -has been successfully. • applied, and has resulted in the breaking down of the credit system and the . establishment of - a sound system, of commerce. If* this were; dohe the country would be saved the enormous cost of the adminstration of the Debtor and Bankruptcy Courts. The present credit system-oply fosters iti the community a horde of usurers, whose business is one of the most degrading and iniquitous barnacles on present day ■ society. ' ; " -