SINGLE TAKERS AND THE LAND BILL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12825, 8 June 1907, Page 8

SINGLE TAKERS AND THE LAND BILL.

Tho Single Tax Leaguo, which has its headquarters in Wellington, has issued a manifesto in regard to tho Government Land Bill. Stripped of circumlocutiiooi, it states in effect that the Leaguo approves of tho Bill, but is disappointed because it docs not go far enough. Tlio leading singlo taxer in New Zealand, Mr Fowids, approves of the Bill, and is popularly supposed to have helped to draft it, so naturally it would commend itself to the League, at any rato so far as it goes. Mr Fowids also regards it as merely ono step in tho direction of the goal at which ho and other singlo taxers are aiming. What that goal is will be found clearly defined in the League's manifesto. They would like to see all Customs duties abolished, so that there shall bo no moro protection of local industries, and all the revenue required raised by means of a land tax without any exemptions or limitations less than tho full rental valuo of the land. It was unnecessary for the Leaguo to state that they are opposed, to further purchase of land for settlement purposes* by tho State. Tho whole root idea of their policy is State confiscation of tho rental value of all land, and such, a policy obviously leaves no room for land purchase by the State. Th© League are carefn l to explain that they desire to apply their system of taxation to land of ©very description, irrespective of area or tho use to which it is put—to th© quarter-acre section in town as well as to the estate of over £50,000 unimproved value. They oppose graduation just as strongly as they oppose exemption. Of course, under a system which aims at extracting from the so-called owner of land as much in land tax as ho would havo to pay in rent to n landlord, there is no scope for graduation as there is no opening for Government purchase of land. Tho manifesto appears very opportunely, and will no doubt help to open tho eyes not only of tho farmers in the country but of the cottage-owners in the towns. With a Single Tax enthusiast in the Ministry which fathered the Bill, and the Singlo Tax Leaguo blessing the Bill, but complaining that it does not go far enough, tho real nature and object of the measure should by this time be tolerably apparent.