HIGH RENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 27, 1 February 1907, Page 2

HIGH RENTS.

d» TO THK KOtTOR. Sir, — <I Heartily support the opinions expressed £y Mr. P. J. O'Regan on tho above subject in this evening's Post. In advocating a substantial increase to the land tax as tho remedy for high rents, and in pointing out that the Land Bill 3oes not touch the vitals of the land question 'at all, because 'tho measure doc 3 not apply to urban lands, he has hit tho" bull's-oj'c fairly and squarely. There is no getting away from tho fact that high rents are duo to the present unjust and idiotic system of the community allowing itself to bo robbed by landlords of tho enormous value which it gives to land by its presence and industry. As Tolstoy says, "Tho landlords will do anything for the 'people except get off their backs." Send to Parliament only those men who will demand tho taxing out, for public uses, • of tho unimproved value of land, and what a transformation scone there will bo ! Such a simplo measure of reform would immediately have the effect of considerably reducing rents 'and the cost of living generally, and of placing the burden of taxation on the shoulders of those who, under the existing iniquitous system, escape it. — I am, etc., CHEAP LAND. Wellington, 30th January.

Tho Customs revenue collected at tho port for tho month onded yesterday shows an increase of £2796 4s 4d over [ the total for the month of January, 1906. Tho Customs roturn for . the .month just closed, was £63,882 3s lOd, and the beer duty £1292 Oa sd, as compared with £61,086 19s 6d and £1050 „128 3d respectively for January last