WANTED—A LABOUR PARTY. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 27, 31 July 1907, Page 10

WANTED— A LABOUR PARTY. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — It is only a littlo over thirteen months since Mr. Saddon passpd away fiom us, and yst in that short time every vesligo of Libeialism has disappeared from tho political party which professes its principles. We aro now face to face with a very serious political dilemma. Wo have oither to continue supporting a Government which has turned its back upon progrew—handed practically all our Crown lands over to tho freeholders, and relieved Wio wealthy of taxation at tho expense of tho toiling masses; or as an alternative wo must let Mr. Massey and his capitalistic friends upset all the beneficent legislation which wao placed upon the Statute Book by tho man whom position and power could not spoil— Richard John Seddon. It is surprising that Sir Joseph Ward, who was Mr. Scddun's intimato friend fcr niany years, should have departed so far from his late chief's principles as to propose giving tho option of tho freehold to all but a very small percent ago of Crown tenants; it is moro eui prising to see him taking tho duty off tho motor-cars of tho rich and increasing tho duty on the boots and shoos of the poor. As for the graduated land tax which was gojng to burst up tho big estates, Sir •Joseph has simply reduced it to a ridiculous farce. Ho cannot eipect a paltry tax of one-half par cent, on estates of £40,000 unimproved value and 2i per cent on estates of £200,000 unimproved value to act as the slightest deterrent to a man holding as much laud as lie can get. It must be very poor land indeed that would not yield double the percentage of profit required to cover the maximum rato of the prdposed new tax. In tho circumstances there is only one thing left for genuine Liberals to do, and that is to throw in their lot with the Independent Political Labour League, and Ptrive to build up a sufficiently strong Labour party by tho next general election to put our decadent Government out of office and prevent Mr. Massey and his friends getting in. It is rather a largo order, but until it is executed it will bo futilo to look for any moro progressive legislation. — I am, etc., EX-GO VERNMENT SUPPORTER. 22nd July, 1907.