MR LABOUCHERE'S MESSAGE OF “PEACE AND GOODWILL.”

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1633, 13 March 1884, Page 3

MR LABOUCHERE'S MESSAGE OF “PEACE AND GOODWILL.”

Hoi'fl is the glad evangel with which Mr Labouchere, M.P., in his new capacity ,of Herald Angel, greets the readers of Truth, "Christmas," he says, "is regarded as the most genial season of the year. Let us, therefore, colebrate it by remembering the Radical programme. It is a message of peace and goodwill to many millions of suffering and toiling human beings"-: Electoral Reform,—ln the ensuing session• the Radicals will accept all that they enn get as an instalment We shall not rest satisfied until wo have manhood- suffrages, electoral districts, and payment of members, , Tho Throne.—Wo think that the Crown and tho Crown's family cost too . much, We are not prepared to expend more than J50,000 per annum, as a maximum, upon Royalty, The House of Lords. -We propose to abolish the House of Lords. Ireland.—We are not prepared to assont to a separation, But we admit tho right of Ireland to le her own mistress in everything which locally regards her. County Government,—ln, every county there must be an Assembly elected by, all persons residing within ilfi; limits, and, who have a vote for the election of members •to .the Imperial Parliament. The unpaid Magistracyjfill bo relieved of their functions. Our will he to transfer nil local government from the land owners to tho people, .Land.—We shall legislate to reduce the landlords to the position of ground landlords, ■ The-occupiers of agricultural land will have fixity of tenure, at a fair ground rent. Either they or the State will benefit by the unearned increment Tlni occupier, on the other hand, will lie required to provide cottages with an acre or two attached to them, for those whom.lie employs. No entail, nor settlement of estates, will bo allowed. A--landowner who does wot cultivate or cause to be cultivated any portion of his estate will lose his right to that portion. Our aim will be to breakup and-destroy all great territorial domains, In cities, we .shall 'allow overy person who pleases to buy the freehold of his house of the landlord at its 'actual, and not at its prospective value, and w.e shall throw the burden of local taxation mainly on those persons who own property which they do not occupy. The Established Church,—This will be dwestablished and disendowed, All living incumbents will be permitted to retaiu their incumbencies during their lifetime. - When they die tlioy will have no successors. The nation will re-enter into its property, pd will probably devote the income det'ived from it to educational purposes. •" ••• Education.—We shall not.only have free primary, but free secondary and technical schools. Expenditure.—Our national expenditure might be reducod by iit 'lenst twenty millions. At the same time, we should freely make use of the ability of the State to procure money at low interest. We should borrow this tcouey and expend it in remunerative works, and in those calculated to benefit trade and commerce, and to better the position of tho poorer classes. Taxation, All indirect taxation would be abolished, We should levy a small poll tax on all able-bodied adults —say Id per week. With the exception, of this tax, taxation would only ''■ Commence where the requirements to live in decent comfort end. The cost of government would in the main be met by a progressive income tax and ii progressive legacy duty. An important distinction would, however, be made between incomes derived from the profits of trade or the exercise of a profession and those accruing from the public funds and other securities. The latter would pay a far higher income taxthan theformer. Personally, I think that it would be desirable to prevent hereditary accumulations by forbidding anyone to leave more than a specified Sum to any one individual, I am not, however, certain whether all Radicals we ripe for this restriction, There is nothing (Mr Labouchere fomarks in conclusion) so far as I can perceive, communistic or socialistic in these reforms. We have lagged terribly behind the spirit of modern democracy, and wc have much leeway to mako up.