OUR SINGLE-TAX FRIENDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3012, 3 November 1891, Page 2

OUR SINGLE-TAX FRIENDS.

•ro the Enrroit. Si it, —It is very kind of the Single-tax party to exhibit such anxiety to relieve tho small settler of all taxation even if it is to be at the expense of the " other fellow," but will "John Parr " and Co. kindly tell us who has asked them to take up the cudgels on our behalf, and tight our battle for us. My experience of tho " working man" is that lie is possessoi of a large amount of true and sturdy independence, and would think himself insulted if another offered to pay his just debts. I have asked many if they thought it right to contribute something towards the cost of maintaining law and order, and the payment of our just debt*, and invariably tind a perfect willingness to do so. I think if the sense of the great industrial army could be taken tho result would be the same ; leaving out the small but dangerous knot of Singie-taxers, tho social destructionists, we should find the community sound at the core but sadly lacking good leaders. Ido not admit Mr Parr's figures to bo correct, but assuming for tho moment that they are so, ho shows that the 100-acro settler would sava£2l 7s 8d per annum; now I suppose J.P. will admit that if the 100-acre man does save this amount, some one olse must pay it, if 60, will the "other fellow" think it equitable. Again J.P. puts the unimproved value of hnd in the colony at £40,000,000 capital value, now five per cent on this would only yield £2,000,000 per annum, whereas we want twice that amount, so that at least 10 per cent is needed, the result being that the land holder would pay 10 per cent, on what he already lias paid the community full value for to enable others to go free again. J. P. and Co. assert that the nan who buys land from the community as represented by the Government is entitled only to its natural products, and not to its enhanced value caused by others coming there, will .T.P. kindly account for tho fact that the Crown offers one acre of land at 5s per aero and another at £100 and that in not a few cases tho values have changed so that the value of the 5s has become £100 and vice versa. J.P. will probably say. "Exactly; this shows the beauty of the Single Tax." But, not so fast, you appear in a hurry to share with the winner, but how about tho loser Had there are many in New Zealand. Are you ready to make good his losses, or is it to be a case of "heads I win, tails you lose? ' If there is to be a divide of the spoil it should bo between those who havo taken tho risk, and not the bystanders. J. P. says people will not go on to the land under our present system, it seems a curious way to mend matters to propose putting all taxation on land and land only ; to most people tho " move of tho present Government " seems to hurry our population out of the country faster than over.—Your*, &c. Working Man.