LABOUR TROUBLES AND THE REMEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10718, 1 November 1912, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLES AND THE REMEDY.

ITo The Editor J Sir,—l have to thank you for ca/ling attention to my suggested remedy for the Waihi strike, namely, to put the minors a n d their wives on the land. You submit, however, that if tho single-taxers hud their way the land would bo taxed so high that the minors would be glad to get underground again; and then you want to know who would find tho sovereigns to pay for the butter and cheese if tho miners becamo farmers. If t am not mistaken the Single-tax League no longer exists in New Zealand, so that there is no need for being apprehensive about tho proposals of tlio single-taxers. Besides, I am not aware that the single-taxers ever contemplated any steps that would bo likely to injure the working fanner. Their proposal, I think, founded on the precepts taught by Henry George in Lis memorable work—"Progress and Poverty"—a book that every man and woman should read —is to take the weight of taxation off labour and put [it on tho shoulders of land monopoly and speculation. As regards what might Inppon owing to the scarcity of golden sovereigns if miners were converted into farmers, has it occurred to you that only a very small share of tlie farm produce of' New Zealand is paid for in cash? How much of the many tons of gold produced at TVaihi, and Reefton as well, remains in this country? To use r> mining phrase—scarcely a colour! And when the nature of tho miners' occupation—working and burrowing in dismal-arid dangerous "drives, hundreds and sometimes thousands of feet under the surface, breathing a poisoned atmosphere and inhiling mineral dust, that, despite his fine ' constitution and physical strength, must inevitably shorten liifl days; exposed to tho imminent perils of the most appalling character —is fairly considered, don't you think the trans- ; lation from mining to farming would bo profitable to the man/and Lis family, if not to the company? Gold and silver are precious metals and valuable mediumg of exchange and ornament, but.at the cost of men's lives—■ as Lappened a few days ago in Tasmania—may they not be too dearly purchased?—l am, etc., A. W. HOGG. (Our remarks concerning Mr Hogg's utterances were based upon a paragraph appearing in a Wellington paper, which referred to the meeting as one of single-taxers. Henry George's theory—long since exploded —is that land should bear all taxation. It is unreasonable to expect that the small farmer would escape. Ho would ultimately suffer with the rest. We are ntvure that very little of our butter f.nd cheese is paid for in sovereigns. But tlio point we wish to make is this —what would happen if all gold-miners were made farmers, and .there were no sovereigns behind onr paper issue? We are aware that gold-mining is a hazardous occupation. So also is coal-mining. But would Mr Hogg seriously sugges-t the translation of the whole of our hewers of coal into farmers? —Ed. Ago.) , j