REPLY TO "ELECTOR."

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2553, 20 November 1888, Page 2

REPLY TO "ELECTOR."

TO THE EDITOR. Stß,—l have to thank " Elector " for his letter, and to the best of my ability I will reply to him. First, I hold that the sweating systPin would not be if it was not for the tantf. It it was not for the tariff, outside of one's own household there would not be a shirt made in the colony. If there were no shirts made there would be no poor sweaters working at thorn. Of course, there are poor sweaters in Freetrade England, but politics have nothing to do with that. England is over populated, and competition in England is the cause of poor people having to buttle for an existence. " Elector desires me to ponder over the cause of the depression and scarcity of employment. Dear me ! Am I not continually pondering over it ? For years before this depression came—that was during the time the " high jinks " were being played—l was in misery, knowing wlrat was to follow; and since the evil has c»me I have been in misery at seeing so much distress, all of which could have been avoided. As for the cure, that is said in two words, "do nothing." The country has been poisoned by a dose of antinature. It is only nature that can complete the cure, with a strong- dose of retrenchment to assist her, to act the same as you take senna to make the salt work. Now for the unearned increment, Mr Editor. I was quite aware that there has been increment gained by possessors of city property, that was money gained by quite fair, .legitimate and honest means. It will be said that the money was unearned, and it was gained by a town hiiving arisen. Now, 1 would ask where the unearned movement is going to end. If a butcher or a baker makes a fortune in Auckland, I say that his fortnne is as' much unearned as the man who bought the laud in olden times; in both cases the one as much as the other. It is population that made the money. " Elector " wants me to state in a specific form how the cry of unearned increment has been the ruin of hundreds. Do we not see it? Is it not before our eyes ? Am I to mention their names ? Their names are legion, Mr Editor. This cry of unearned increment would never have been heard of if it had only been the city properties that had been supported to have advanced on prices, but the country was stumped by Sir G. Grey upon this cry ; it was taking, and that was everything with Sir G. Grey. He (Sir George) got up the cry against what he termed "the land robbers." He pictured that this beautiful New Zealand was going to be the same as old England, going to be held by a few families; and there lay his dishonesty, for he knew perfectly well that the thing could not be, for there was no law of entail here, and he knew perfectly well that it was the law of entail and that alone that was the cause of big estates in England. Well, I will tell " Elector " how this cry ruined hundreds. The fact of the cry of unearned increment being raised alone and singly by itself made it appear that there was unearned increment, and upon the belief there was unearned increment they bought land ; whereas, there is none. I say if you give a man 100 acres of fair land in its natural state and he makes a farm of it, I say the increase in its value has been paid for, and if you deduct the cost there is nothing unearned left. " Elector" refers to Melbourne, which he states as going up by leaps and bounds. I firmly believe that there has been no unearned increineut gained there this last twelve months. When you put what has been lost against what has been gained, I say the balance will be nil, in fact I believe the loss will be greater than the gain. " Elector" is not good in his application to Melbourne going up by leaps and bounds. I say "damn leaps and bounds." He wants me to produce the wis-e man who says there is no unearned increment. Does " Elector" mean to say lam a, f»«l. " Elector" says the farmer has nothing to fear from a land tax. 1 say ho has everything to foar. Thora is a parly, win in their ignorance, say tlia land should bear all. I Ray property should bear all, property includes land and all other property ; the land only include* the land. It is only two hours sines I saw Thursday's paper, and the mail loaves herein half an hour, we have only two mails per week, I am therefore hurried. Once more thanking "Elector"forhisletter. I am yours truly, HARAPIPI. ,