PROPOSED LEAGUE

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 225, 23 May 1872, Page 7

PROPOSED LEAGUE

The "Nelson Examiner" suggests the formation of a League, tbe leading principles of which are to be as follows :—: — 1. Immigration and public works cannot with justice be charged directly or indirectly on the ordinary taxes. 2. The proceeds of land sales and of the leasing of the public estate, together with the revenue arising- from public works, are the resources ont of which, or on the security of which alone immigration and public works should be carried on. 3; The terms for purchase or occupa-

tion of Crown lands should be uniform, and equally favourable to present Bettlers and immigrants.

4. Thp alienation of the public estate in large areas, whether to individuals or to colonising companies, subject to no conditions as to its administration, is contrary to sound policy.

5. A land tax, like that of the United States of America, is an unexceptionable source of revenue, and the best security against obstructive tenure of land.

On a review of the foregoing programme, the " Independent " remarks : — " The meaning of the above is, that the colony must assume the colonial estate, and that the interest of tbe cost of immigration and railways, and other public works, should be a first charge upon the land fund, and not upon the consolidated revenue ; and that we should have a uniform laud law founded upon a liberal basis, but subject to such a tax as would prevent unproductive occupation. We are not sorry to see such opinions expressed by our Nelson contemporary, and we are considerably refreshed thereby. A sound opinion is none the less souud because, as in this instance, it comes srom a province which sold its birthright for a mess of pottage, aud has no landed estate to call its own, except that which for the present is under its control on the West Coast."