"THE CHIEF NATIONAL QUESTION."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8378, 12 March 1907, Page 5

"THE CHIEF NATIONAL QUESTION."

(To the Editor). Sir, —A correspondent, signing himself "Gracchus," certainly contributes an interesting letter in your issue of to-day, in regard to what he terms "the chief national question." Whilst fully appreciating the importance of the question with which he deals, I should draw his attention to this fact: that Mount Holdsworth is—or it is most sincerely hoped will prove—invaluable to Masterton. There are, also, other questions of great importance, and I do wish that "Gracchus" (he might have been christened with some pleasanter-sounding name) would not attempt to thrust upon the attention of *a peaceful community the "chief national question," when we|have so many questions of really local However, since "Gracchus'" letter is interesting, and of a somewhat positive character (personally I have a great detestation of the expressing of a definite* opinion, as such an action always suggests to me that the utterer takes a one-sided.view of politics), I trust you will allow me to combat briefly some of your correspondent's statements, and to explain the true opinions of the writer. In the first place, I would ask "Gracchus" to state definitely the period in English history, since the Conquest of 1066 — it seems scarcely necessary to go further back than that—when "there was little vagrancy, no workhouses, no poor-law system and no need for it. Labourers in town and country obtained a wage equal to about £3 a week of our money, the cost of living was not half what it is in New Zealand to-day, and the eight hours day was universal. All classes were contented and happy because all were doing well." Then "Gracchus' 9 goes on to say: "We have a Land Bill now before the country which is good as far as it goes, but were it passed to-r morrow the great urban land question would still remain untouched.The bulk of that enormous w ( hich th§ peope give aiii to. give to the landjDy their presence and industry, and which is taken out of the produce of labour every day, is drawn from the cities, towns and hamlets of the colony, and it would still go into a few pockets 'without the receivers giving the producers anything in return for it. This is the main and most pressing part of the land question, and it is to this part of it that the earnest attention of the Government must be called. The urban land question must be adequately dealt with if we are to have social peace and harmony and that real and continuous national progress which all true friends of the colony, and all really patriotic people must desire." What does he mean by all this — simply the taxing of land values, as it is pleasantly called, in other words a land tax, let us say,' of 20s in the £, a system of taxation which may be described as a near relation of Single Tax. I ask "Gracchus" why he does not speak out plainly, instead of vaguely hint.ing at the existence of a marvellous panacea for all the troubles of labour and capital, without mentioning what it is.—l am, etc.,

A WORKER. Masterton, March 11th, 1907.