OUT WITH THEM!

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1193, 31 July 1911, Page 4

OUT WITH THEM!

Sir,—Tour Taihapo correspondent voices a general complaint. The cost of living, as she points out, has enormously increased during the past twelve yearg. On the other hand, general wages have decreased. . Tho majority of adult male workers So not, on an average, get per week. In tho' country districts many men work for as little as 10s. a week and food awl shelter; not a few give their labour for food and shelter only. It may truly be said that tho last state of most labourers .in this'country is worso than their first. Tho twenty years of Liberal Labour Government has been a good timo for fat-billet men and some others, but a very poor time for tho workers generally. New Zealanders are the most heavily taxed pcoplo on earth, and they do not get value for their money. The Civil Servico is costing us, according to a highly-respected retired Civil Servant, about twice as much as it is really necessary to spend on tho service. A little while ago ho assured mo that less thnn half the number of persons employed in the service would do the work efficiently, and without being overworked. Some of tho Departments, too, are worso than useless. Wo want a Minister who will stop this great extravagance and waste, and bring taxation within rcasonablo limits. Surely all necessaries and all reasonable luxuries ought to be free of taxation. Docs Mi'. Masscv agree with this? If ho does, let him say so wherever ho goes, and he will have an excellent chance of being returned lo power next November. Tlie present Ministers continue tho great extravagance and waste, maintain upwards of 700 taxes on commodities, add to, rather than reduce, taxation, and then boast oi a .£900,0(10 surplus; borrow lingo sums annually, instead of paying their .way out of revenue. Is it.not time to be rid of such rulers? What good can bo expected from such men? The workers have surely nothing to lose by dismissing them. Thev might gain much, but thev can lose nothing. Labour should be directly represented in tlio House. A dozen Labour reprc-

se.ntatives would make a wonderful difference in (lie kind of legislation w-o gtut. and also in the. weight of fiscal burdens j)laecd on tho tmck ol Labour. Goad luck to tho Labour party! Good luck lo all who aro endeavouring lo l'id us ol tho very amiable anil courteous, but far too costly politician who fills the olhro of Prime Minister. ' Sir Joseph Ward, Bart., is the greater Conservative forco in this country. 'U'icre will bo no real progress until he is Tsetirecl iiorir olhce. I am, etc,, EDWARD T. EVANS. Fcikling, July 25, 1311. ,