CHEAP RENT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 115, 11 November 1935, Page 4

CHEAP RENT

LAND PARTY'S SCHEME

Speaking at the tram terminus, Miramar, Mr. E. W.. Nicolaus, Commonwealth Land Party candidate for Wellington East, dealt with the burdens pressing on the wage earner, and pointed out the injustice of the private ownership of land whereby the rent of land went into private pockets instead of into the public treasury. The tariffs came in for special mention, the speaker stating that were those removed, the increase in • the wage earner's envelope, would amount to £65 per annum. He explained fully how the land rent would benefit the worker who could under the C.L.P. policy acquire the exclusive occupancy of a section for the payment of about £15 per annum, with no other immediate cash payment than £7 10s, which would be a half-year's rent in advance. This would constitute the only payment towards the national revenue, earnings being secured to the earner without any deduction whatever, either for national revenue or city revenue.

On Friday afternoon Mr. Nicolaus addressed the men at the Kilbirnie tram sheds. He said that the fight was not between the Labour Party and the rest, but between Right and Wrong. Dealing in detail with the tariffs, Mr. Nicolaus pointed out how industries employing about 13,000 workers penalised the other wage earners to the tune of £10,000,000 a year. The first thing to do, said Mr. Nicolaus, was to ensure that the worker got what he was entitled to; it was then time enough to talfe about "free milk, free medical and dental services." He maintained that were the worker to receive the full return for his effort, there would be no need for charity.