"TAKING THE GLOVES OFF."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 3

"TAKING THE GLOVES OFF."

Sir,—l am glad to learn on the authority of ill-. A. L. Herdman, M.P., that, the Farmers' Party and the National League are opposed to class legislation, and that they hold that "legislators . . . ■11 handling (he property of the people are rcsilly trustees." I am glad also that Mr. Herdman recognises the need for encouraging industry and ■discouraging the waster and the loafer. All that remains, surely, is for Air. Herdman to become a member of and for the Farmers' party and the National League to become _ affiliated to the New Zealand Land Values League, and promote its objects to the utmost of their power. The class legislation of tho present is only the natural reaction "from- the class legislation of the-past. Special legislation in the interests of labour would not be demanded to-day, but for tho special legislation passed years ago in the, interests of privilege and monopoly. . ' And tho carrying out of tho programme of the Land Values Leaguo would, by abolishing all privilege and monopoly/ do away with the demand for restrictive labour legislation.

It' is tho duty of legislators to safeguard tlio property of tlie people, both as individuals and ns a whole; and this is the aim of tho Land Values League which, as Henry George has finely put it, "would simply tako for the community what l>elongs to the community—the value that attaches to land by tho growth of tho community, leaving sacred to the individual all that belongs, to'the individual." That is to say, we would encourage all industries in the best possible way, by securing to tho industrious tho full product of their industry, by abolishing all taxes on trade and industry, by abolishingall taxes on private earning?,■ and by taking public earnings for public purposes. This in itself will sufficiently discourage the loafer and the waster, bjeausa if (he industrious fret all they earn there will be nothing left over for these who earn nothing. I would commend the fame considerations to the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, whose speech of yesterday was much on the same lines as Mr. Herdman's of Monday last. I shall be glad t<l enrol either or both of.these gentlemen as members of the New Zealand T..ind. Values League; and should the Farmers' Party, or the National League, or both, desire to become, affiliated to tho league, my committee, I'feel sure,"would give them a warm reception.—l am, etc., ARTHUR WITHY, Gen. Sec, N.Z. Land Values League.