TAXING LAND VALUES.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8049, 5 November 1906, Page 2

TAXING LAND VALUES.

TO THS EDITOR. Sir,—la view of the increasing interest taken in the land rjuestion, both as to the Government not parting with any lands except on lease, and also as to raising revenue out of land values, [ should be pleased, if you could find room for the following remarks (taken from "Land Values " a j urnal published in Glasgow). The more this is discus-ed and thought of, the neirer we shall get to the truth of who should pay the taxtation. The present methods press heavily on the working man both on the land and in the city. A re-ad-justment is required, then the trouble be gins as to the best methods. We shall have.moßt likely, one or two Ministers here to explain their ljind B II; it is to be h< ped that large audiences will hear them.—l am, etc., JUSTICE. The extract forwarded by our corresp indent,after delinin ; a tax inland v-lues, urges that that tlie taxation of laud values would (I) 'lake the weight of taxation off the agricultural districts where land has little or no value, irrespective of improvements, and put it on towns and cities, where bare land to a value of tons of thousands of pouuds per acre. (2; Dispense with a uiultiplic ty of taxes and a horde of ttx gatherers, simplify Government, and greatly reduce its oost. .(3) It would do away with liues and penalties now levied on .nyone who improves a farm, erects a house, builds a machiu", or in any way a ids to tl e general fct-elr of wealth and employs labour, li would leave t-veryone free to apply labcur or expend capital in production or exchange without fine or restriction, and would leave to each the full products of his toil, whether of hands or brain.