The Land Question.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 44, 13 May 1875, Page 3

The Land Question.

„ /The.men of Alex^iidra deserve g^eat .credit for taking.the first step towards preserving the land to the people. ; It is with NewZealahd^ndw-a^ matter of life or deaths If the land'be preserved and placed in the hands; of iridus'trfotisr agriculturists it will soon be/the'/firieyt cpuritry.iri^pridj buijitl^ismlpjakes^ into the, clutches of few? capitalisis; / nothing is^efore the. great-mass of ithe peopleibnt want and "misefy. :"Wha> is* the reason; ''-^^%b^i[f^' r a a^£^?', , Is it not because the lanH/pKf puribirfa is i in the possession .of a. ,feW,;jahiiiiesy while the people /as : a wnoie i /have i npr right or. title to; even: a: single foot breadth ? of that -laridy which Cod has' given to all .-The "old 1 saying -^That 1 •We will all -get the breadth of bur backs •at last," is hot tnie; in 'the ;61d; 'country. ; In lar^e citiel l^'QlasgP^^he^ound lscpnsi^ a 'andMlar^/i^tsV-a^^mflßie'for I the poor in; which coffins j arelpiledj on the top of eachr other 'to -the: of a dozen or 'ao- ahd ; theh" : aH'i is covered with; a little-earth.; :: : iife itheP bb r,M£^fc- a ' /itipf J/o^i/eartfc^hieh .^ey ,c^call;|hei^ u a ST^f Ithe consequence -of this land Imonopolys j It 4s; this, ithat; millions who loil^and^aikke allltbe .WSalthiilive 1 ik J # r s'tafe f 5 off wjant; arid compara Hye;¥^^ jtfieT - few* Whp/SeY^^Mlnited:. 'MUa. single f &&sPs>W&& WssK&tne^iioh nn t plpn##and!f conftifiuei tori foaanett ar iof their iiiiHmitedwick^dne^- finer* ex— ianaeCa^stocracy, of Bniope-^r dC^ • f Fatten on cqrrapjUoifcy )Vh#;»e>tte

soon fpllowrus, iroii beMfe onlv in•hentariee.ofour children. -> As ye"t we havenoysach drones among: us,- but we are building cells for , their production. I his should not be, s and if the wPrking classes of New Zealand be; true to themselves, it wiirtfot-'be£ It is from t ?®.i and th , tal£ Wealth, nay comforts of life are dr^wn, and'i? It be suffered to pass into the hands, bf a few squatters or men of capital, tnen the great mass may bid farewell to .either comfort or , independence. :In country the people have political power, but that power; will bring ytfiem no happiness without it be wisely used. Political power is ;but the-niisans^-soctaHWell-being, the l end? I !i is;^h©celo^ v the, duty ofthe Working men oif Imf -douni' try to see, strictly to the kind of men whom they place in poWer. 'So long as they elect the wealthy squatter or landowner, so long Will he look after his own interest, not theirs. It is but natural, therefore, blame > him not, but r * t k® ILtlliose1 L tlliose Wf»b have raised him to power. Let the industrious portion of the: community then atohce, form a league for the purpose of retaining the public lands for the people; and at thdf r same time establishing a just and' equit^ able land tax. Let tfiatbe their platform, and let them be .careful to elect such representatives as will-faithfully stand by it. " This is iheir duty; and if they perform it they will /reap a rich reward -, if not, they and their /offspring will repent it at no distant date.