"HARAPIPI'S" CONSISTENCY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2848, 14 October 1890, Page 3

"HARAPIPI'S" CONSISTENCY.

TO THE EDITOR. Silt, —" Harapipi" admits that it is the increase of population which creates the unearned increment, but thinks that the landowners are nevertheless entitled to it oil the ground that the " pioneers " (which term seems to include nil landowners, and exclude everyone else) caused the increase of population (how, he does not explain), and therefore arc! entitled to the value which the increase of population creates. This is rather a startling statement and must be very agreeable to the landowners, if not to anyone else. But if the " pioneers," as he fondly'calls them, are to bo given the value which the rest of the community gives to land, why should they not be given the value which population gives to other tilings ? Why not give them the improvements? Why not give them everything? If they have a right to the one, they must have a right to the others ; in his own words "the pioneer was the cause, the population was the result. Therefore, the cause which created the result is entitled to the effect of the result," or in other words the pioneer "is entitled to whatever the population creates. As " Harapipi " does not even attempt to defend his former statements but falls back as a last resource on one so utterly absurd, I will now close the correspondence, leaving it to your readers to decide between his doctrine and mine.—Yours, &c. Georgian*. P.S.—As to his inuendo about the "inconsistent scribbler" he is for once mistaken, as I own no tenant, neither do I receive rent. And though he may think it inconsistent in a man who is a landlord to

try to abolish landlordism, and who receives rent, to support the confiscation of rent; in my opinion, and I think every un-

prejudiced in in will agree witli uie, it is a strong proof of sincerity and a noble spirit of self-sacrifici.'.