NEW ZEALAND TAXES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9682, 5 January 1910, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND TAXES.

The land policy of New Zealand is comidually cropping up during the 1 discussion on the British Budget. , "Observer" writes as follows in the "London Daily Telegraph":—"lt may be of interest to recall the fact that the New Zealand Government have just decided to allow the State tenants to buy '* their.', sbtit i '<, seems that even under the most favourable circumstances, such as obtain in New Zealand at the present time, nationalisation of the land is not a sucress.", Mr C. M. Burdon, Of South Canterbury," writes to the "Spectator" in reply to Mr Spender, who sough to justify theTiand values taxation in England by comparing it with the land taxes to New, Zealand. Mr Burdon says never was there such an unhappy comparison.■•■'•. Writing as a landowner both in England and the Dominion, he says | —"lt is true that we have a moderate land tax in New Zealand, and that it is assessed on undeveloped, values, but this is done in order that the owner may develop his property with the full knowledge that his improvements will not increase his taxes. The local rates are assessed on both the undeveloped and improved values, but they are a mere flea bite compared with the heavy and increasing rates that land has to pay in England. The whole trend of legislation, both here and in,Aus« tralia, is to bring land under closer settlement; but the ..Government do not start operations by piling burdens on to the land; rather, they seek that the purchaser shall be in the position to make a gooa living and speedily repay the purchase money." Mr Burdon thinks it is /the smaller landowners in England who will go to the wall first.