"BIRKENHEAD RATING POLL."

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 41, 17 February 1910, Page 6

"BIRKENHEAD RATING POLL."

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Mr. F. M. King wants to know have I considered the moral effect of the poll recorded at Birkenhead in relation to the surrounding districts of Auckland. In answer to the above question, I say decidedly, yes; I have lived and travelled in New Zealand for nearly forty years, and have watched the development of our national life ■vvith considerable interest. I think in Xew Zealand we have one of the finest countries that has been given to man to dwell upon. Its possibilities are enormous for both health and wealth, if only rightly governed, and in Auckland City nature has specially favoured us. I say emphatically that rating on unimproved values will produce congestion of buildings and people, and, therefore, have a demoralising effect upon the people as a whole. Mr. King further states that every land speculator and holder of vacant sections has taken a firmer grip of the land, and by so doing will prevent the building of houses, and, therefore, the employment of men. I wish to call Mr. King's attention to the fact that the law of supply and demand will regulate the market with regard to anything that is produced in our system of national life. Only a limited* number of physical labourers are required to do the physical labour in. Auckland City a-nd s\irroundiug districts, and you canincrease that number only in too-

portion as you opee country districts, anf «L ■ «• crease of wealth fronv thi* * a s * , whole national life is founded*"*" Oai! wealth produced from thTi 1 *?" **• just in like manner *ou L, ? an * the increase ofhonsl,i «£?* ' io ** tories beyond the. reAnirenS!. *. fac * district for the tfmerS^l 0£ «* duction implies cheapi wd ■• pr *' cles. Other countries arT *?* many articles cheapen thaa *« cause of the abunda-kt snnnlv £?\ -**" labour. Therefore,) land ? U}£ lea > capital must go haid in hkn*T d !Ta"m P e r tc oSPerity f"" »*2l ft