FARMERS' UNION DEMANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 14, 17 July 1934, Page 13

FARMERS' UNION DEMANDS

(To tho Editor.)

Sir, —Since tho commencement of the prevailing depression no section of the community has been more vociferous in proclaiming its grievances than have our friends of tho Farmers' Union and the candid critic must admit that they have done very well in that the wealthiest landowners —nine thousand-— have achieved the cherished plan to abolish the graduated land tax. In addition they have an army of 75,000 unemployed working for them at tho public expense, because everybody knows that the inevitable effect of the public works upon which the unfortunate unemployed are eking out an oxistenco is to impart a permanent addition to the community value of land. While all this is going on beforo our eyos; the landless section of the community tamely submits to . a poll-tax, otherwise tho unemployment levy, and our statesmen have given us the sales tax to replace the graduated land tax! Not satisfied with all this preferential treatment, however, Messrs. Landowner, Mortgagee, and Co. now demand that they' shall be relieved of all rates for the main highways and also that tho paltry amount still payable by way of land tax—less than the rate revenue of Wellington Oity by. the way—should be abolished altogether. I have already made a public protest against tho sittings of the Dairy Commission being held in secret, as if similar demands are being presented to the Commission the public should have the opportunity of hearing the evidence. • In connection' with this audacious demand for derating I would refer your readers to section _3S of the Counties Act, 1920. There it will bo seen that the county franchise is based on a rating qualification, every ratepayer being allowed one vote if tho rateable valuo of his property does not exceed £1000, two votes if it ranges from £1000 to £2000, and if raoro than- £.2000, three votes. There is no provision whatever, as tliero is in connection / with' the municipal franchise, to allow tenants to exercise the right to vote. In the few mining districts remaining it is true that the aoldeu of a miner's right, is entitled to the franchise, but the Farmers' Union of Otago has been registering a very solemn protest against that right quito recently. l'vr<ml(i point out that the demand for derating is never coupled with any suggestion that tho franchise should bo modified or that tho motorists who aro to be called upon to shoulder tho additional burden should havo any right to the county franchise. I would point out further, that it: is possible for a county to ba divided into twelve ladings, and hence it is not legally impossible for a large landowner to have three votes in each riding! In view of the nndeniable fact that an allwise Providence has endowed every person living in this country with an equal right to live his life, it is surely time that an appeal was made to the landless masses of the people to cease giving ear to all this patter about currency or State planning, and address themselves to tho vital question of securing their rights to the soil by the lawful and constitutional use of the taxing power. As ai matter of fact if the Press of this country did its duty the politicians who hayo pandered to the land monopolists would bo ."hissed off tho stage of public Ufa for ever. To give an illustration of what I mean, a few days ago I saw • a magnificent bridge which was recently built,aeross the Waitaki Biver at a cost to tho taxpayers of £17,000. Yet the chief effect of that bridge has been to make more accessible the estates of two runholders! These be the "struggling settlers" who have been relieved of graduated land taxi It would be well for tho average man if he adverted to facts of this kind every time he pays tho sales tax or tho poll-tax.—l am, etc., . •■ ■ - . P. J. O'BEGAN. July 16V • •