PRIVATE AND PUBLIC RIGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 99, 23 October 1936, Page 4

PRIVATE AND PUBLIC RIGHTS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —The well-balanced statement made last week in,Dunedin by Lord Elibank questioning the advisability of Governmental interference with overseas interests appears to have, failed to draw a satisfactory reply from political quarters; Whilst not holding briefs for either capitalists or Socialists I think, the tr,end of politics, should 'be the concern of all who desire the broad interests :P'f " : 'the. nation,J;b;be conserved for the'..';■general •welfare. .Recent changes in legislation will'assail many established customs but there is no indication that any abuses that exist might not be both multiplied and intensified. Although the principle of economic science never varies, defective legislation is constantly being altered bringing breakdowns (usually called slumps) ev^ry: few years. There is also a grave: danger, that some of the recent and impending legislation will encourage a considerable portion of the population to lean on the Government, which can function only at the expense of those'who work. . Without questioning that orphans, the afflicted, and the aged-needy should be well provided for, I maintain that the Government has no need to enter on many activities such. as building houses for people who should only be givena fair chance to earn and save up to build houses for ' themselves. The self-reliant section of the people should tell the Government in plain language that they are not going to stand for the high taxation of their earnings and savings to provide amenities for easy-going and expensive pleasure-getting people. Further, there is no need to augment or even maintain at present. strength the army of State servants if the Government would deal with the landholding laws in-a just and statesmanlike1 manner by preventing the economic rent of community created land value being misappropriated, thereby harmonising the three factors of land, labour, and capital, which would result in continuous prosperity without the many interferences with individual rights. It must be conceded that there are many inalienable individual rights and it would be for the nation's welfare if the Government respected these and kept within its own rightful sphere.—l am, etc., r

WITHOUT PREJUDICE.