CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1540, 21 November 1883, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

LAND NATIONALISATION. |To the Editor,] Sir, —It is well-known that, when' men organize for any special purpose the likelihood of obtaining theirobjects is largely increased, whereas the isolated effort of individuals is so much energy wasted, and so with the County Settlers' Association. Their chances are now ninety-nine to one, to what they were prior to its formation, Will others follow their example? Referring to the speech delivered by Mr Hawkins before the Association on the 14th inst., tome passages of which when Mr Hawkins comes to read over in his calmer moments, will he be able to dony that he has sinned against good taste, The first part dealing with Mr George's Book, if his hoarers will take ■ bis advice and carefully read it, they will find'that their President has done his best to misrepresent him. There aro Jew who consider Mr George's book any more than Adam Smith or Mill to bo without error, but' thoy are the errors of a vigorous mind. If as Mr Hawkins says they (the Association) are preparing the basin of a platform which will not only condemn but construct j to cnsuro the ? ! stability of the superstructure the .• basis must be broad and deep. Whether this will bo the case with the County Settlers' Association might be W difficult to say with certainty; their fl beginning is certainly not hopeful.. Evidently Mr Hawkins is a bitter' opponent not only of Land Nationalisa- f* tion but in eommon with thousands of: others he finds no fault with the; existing land laws. He does not recognise the imperative necessity of legislating upon this subject, a subject. . that , has engaged the attention not only of " statesmen. and political economists" but of men all over the civilised world. They have discovered in these laws as they now exist a canker worm that is gnawing at : the vitals of our social system, and they are convinced they want to be remodelled. They are men, moreover, ' who are not "wild Bchemera," but : shrewd and well informed, and whose practical common sense entitles them to respect, men who would consider it. quite as absurd to lay at the door of 1 monopoly in land all our pauperism and crime as they would to say to a working man with wages at stamtion point, all your misery is due to a want of thrift I" Finally I would ask Mr Hawkins if in criticising the policy of the Government would it be desirable -. to apply to ministers vile epithets, or ■ if in doing so He considered he was ; treating his subject with intellectual • dignity ? It is within the range of o probability that you may one day hold office yourself, sir, and I should aofc like to hear the president of an association of which I was a member call you a thimble rigger, or an adept in theconfidence trick, I am &e,, J. a Mdm Kuripuni, Nov. 29.