ANTI-POVERTY SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2705, 12 November 1889, Page 2

ANTI-POVERTY SOCIETY.

A MKBTiNi.i was held in S. Andrew's school, Cambridge, 011 Thursday evening, to endeavour to further the objects of the AntiPoverty Society. Archdeacon Willis presided, and was supported by tho Revs. C. O. Griffiths, C. H. Garland, and Mr H. R. Hyatt. Apparently the doings of the Society do not interest the inhabitants of Cambridge to any great extent, as only about 25 attended to hear the way in which the Society purpose remedying the great evil of poverty. The Chairman said he learned that the nationalisation of land was one of the chief features of the Society. Ha agreed that it would be a good thing if it could be accomplished, but he thought social reform would also be needed. The relations of capital and iabour were not what they should be, and he would like to see them put upon a better footing. Many reforms had lately taken place, but many more were needed. The sweating system certainly needed reform. Ho considered the land question a difficult one, for if it was divided, and each had his share, in one week's time the equilibrium would be upset again. Mr Griffiths admitted there was 110 royal road to abolish poverty, and that there were a number of cases that the alteration of the land laws would not reach, but on the whole he thought they would prove the best remedy of any. Socialism shows that there is a seething mass of discontent all over the world, of which the cause is, in most eases, the laws relating to land. In most countries the lands were very unequally divided; twothirds of England and Wales was owned by 10,000 people ; while two-thirds of Scotland was owned by only 300. In New Zealand 200 individuals owned 10,000 acres each ; and of the 1!) millions of acres confiscated from the Maoris, only <S millions are improved, leaving LI millions lying idle. (He did not statu how many acres are not wtirth improving.) He then gave a dissertation on air, water aud land, contending that the latter should be as free as the former. He advocated the substitution of one tax—ll land tax—iu place of the whole of the taxes at present in existence. Mr Garland pleaded ignorance of the methods the Society propose adopting, but he believed in anti-poverty, ff statistics are to be trusted the majority of people in the world are destitute, and there is moro food wasted than would feed tliein. He did not think that laud nationalisation would get rid of poverty ; at the same time he did not think the present land monopoly was right. It was the presence of the people that gave land _ its value, and he believed in co-operation ; then all who helped got their share of the prolit. -Mr H. R. Hyatt explained the methods adopted by tho society, after which a discussion ensued which was not altogether 111 favour of their lands. One individual remarked that the three parsons and tho schoolmaster had better get their share of the land and start a farm. He ventured to say the three former would soon get a few slabs, and start a church ; and the latter would be looking for a supple jack and something to whack. The meeting lasted until about 10 p.m.