MAJOR JACKSON'S SPEECH.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2545, 1 November 1888, Page 2

MAJOR JACKSON'S SPEECH.

to the editor. Sir,—l read your comments on Major Jackson's speech at. Te Awainutu, and also his action in the House with pleasure. It is really refreshing to have such an outspoken criticism on our member, who ought to be our representative, but such, I am afraid, ho is not, for he has gone behind many of the pledges ho gave when on his election campaign. He was then out and out for retrenchment, and a strong Free Trader. He pooh-poohed Protection as the must absurd and ridiculous nonsense ; he had no patience with anyone who advocated it. But what course has he pursued in the House? Why he has supported the greatest Protective system ever introduced into the colony, and of which we are already feeliug the sad results. Tho value of our produce is now regulated by the English markets; our Government is powerless to advance the price of that which the farmer has to sell, but, on the contrary, it has conclusively proved that it can raise the price of the articles he has to buy. How, in tho name of cominon-sensc, this is going to facilitate production I am at a loss to know ; perhaps the Major will explain. I may be obtuse; for don't we send our best and wisest men to Wellington to manage our business? How well they have succeeded is patent to all. Our members, perhaps, are well pleased with their labours, if their constituents are not. The Major appeared to hold very decided opinions when stumping the electorate. But how different when he gets into the House. He goes right about face. How this is to be accounted for, the electors, I presume, are well able to judge. The colony wants men who are determined to play a lone hand when convinced that they are right ; any fool can go with the stream, but it requires men of storn material to struggle against.it. Well may the colony be drifting to destruction when we are told that our Parliament is a House of compromises, viz., our members sacrificing their principles and their country to gain some selfish end. We are in need of a Cromwell to hurl all such from place and power. Belter have such a man as Mr Campbell, who promised all things and wished to please all parties. I fail to find anything in the Major's speech but a recapitulation of the old hash that has been served up so often, except the lone hand and House of compromises. Ha holds out no hope for the future with tho exception that the prices of mutton and beef are advancing. We need not thank our Parliament for that. He says we need more population ; that's what nearly everybody is saying, but can ho prove this will make the masses any better off ? Our population has incroased by 100,000 in the last eight years; are we any better off ? If not, will importing 100,000 more mend matters? What is the use of bringing more when we cannot keep those we have here, for are they not leading by the ship load? He thinks the Property-tax will be repealed. He has some faith in the Income-tax, but thinks it would be difficult to collect. The Land-tax he dismisses by condemning it. I guess he has never studied the question which is ocoi py ing the attention of someof our most profound thinkers. Land is the only source from which .all our wealth is drawn, and the taxes must of necessity come from thence, either directly or indirectly. If taken directly, it would do away with a lot of very expensive machinery in the sliapo of Customs officials, who are now costing the colony some £'80,000, or more, annually. All this might be saved by a Land Tax, hecause the present system of collecting tho Property Tax could just as easily collect a Land Tax, with very little extra expense. It is all lionsi'nse saying tho land cannot carrv any more taxation, for it is now carrying the whole of it, with members, Governor and Government thrown in. Now, what is our Parliament doing but tinkering and patching the fabric, buttressing it here and there, building up vested interests of various kinds with their pensions and sinecures ? This is not going to bring us prosperity. No 1 we need a radical change. We need to pull down to the very bottom, and then start afresh. This can be done by nationalising the land —tapping the unearned increment and letting this go to the State. All other systems have failed ; lei us try this, and see if it will not bring us prosperity,—Yours, &c,, Elector.