UNIMPROVED RATING SYSTEM OF LAND AT BIRKENHEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 33, 8 February 1910, Page 6

UNIMPROVED RATING SYSTEM OF LAND AT BIRKENHEAD.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —'As the vote upon the above subject is to 'be taken to-morrow, I •would like to call the attention of the ratepayers in the district and the ladies in particular to the fact that if they desire to protect the early settlers and large ratepayers in the borough from the*e Single Tax and Socialistic agitators' fads, they must not fail to do their duty and strike out the top line on the voting paper, and by so doing retain the present system of Tating upon the rental value, which I consider is the most just and fair for the largest number of ratepayers in the borough at the present time. "And thus prevent the congestion of small houses and tendency toward slum life in what is sure to remain the neatest city in the Dominion. —I am, etc., * BRITISHER. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent "Fair Play's" renmrks are wrong. Having lived and worked for the welfare of this healthy district for the past 25 years; I ask >eu in the interests of all who have their own and their country's true interest at heart, to publish the following facts. The much-needed reform simply means that the people who are holding land out of use, and stopping the progress of the district, will be compelled by a re-valuation to pay their fair share of the rates on land values only. No industry would be taxed. This applies to the Sugar Company as well a3 others. As regards the supposed increased rate to fruitgrowers, it is greatly exaggerated. Far too much is made of the suitability of the district for fruitgrowing by amateurs. It is a trade that has to be learned. There are not as many fruitgrowers as those ■who have got the gambling mania would have you believe. It is a wrong thing to induce men with only a fow pounds to try to start a business that they know little or nothing about on poor la-nd. I do not believe that thero are more than six who are really making a living at it. And for poultry you must have good land to grow the feed. Let the ratepayers vote for sufficient funds to properly grade, form, and metal the roads, as they should be. There are plenty of good building sites all through the district, with good views, ideal spots for business men, who could afford to employ labour to make and maintain their "hcJmes; but for ordinary men who have to go to town a good bush service is required, which should be either subsidised or owned by the local authorities. I am, etc..

H. RAWUNSON. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l intend to vote for this proposal on Wednesday, although struggling fruitgrower "Fair Play" intends to vote against it, and I sincerely trust all the small ratepayers will do the same and instead of being defeated by about ten votes at last poll, will be carried by a large majority. The opponents and advocates of both systems have held good meetings during the week for and against If it is just to take the taxes off improvements, industry, and thrfit in the case of the small freeholder, then the Ku gar Co. is entitled to the game "justice"; not that I am an advocate oi monopolies in any form, but there are other methods of dealing with them, and as to the £ 100 to be placed on the backs of th« fruitgrowers, "Pair Play" forgets to mention that this will be a mere fleabite when divided equally amongst the industrial workers of ratepayers, who have enormously increased in numbers, and the idle furze and blackberry section landlords. It was amusing to hear the forty-nine strawberry-growers wailing and whining, as if they were the only ratepayers in the district, while the landlord strawberry farmers, who fleece them, were so disinterestedly advocating their cause. The real question at issue for the ratepayers to decide is whether the municipal taxes shall be paid equally by tho idle section, landholders and speculators, or only by the happy home and landusers so ably depicted by the ex-Mayor of Devonport (Mr. J. C. Mackay), who so fairly and honestly showed its advantages to our sister borough, Devonport. In conclusion, let mc say this question il now past the stage of any single tax faddist or otherwise, and rests in the hands of the ratepayers as a whole, beinn carried b yabout seventy-six (76) municipalities, Devonport refusing to repeal it by a larger majority.—l am, etc., EDGAR SMITH PARTINGTON.