THE RATING QUESTION.

Northern Advocate, 12 February 1931, Page 2

THE RATING QUESTION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In your issue of the 7th inst., appears an account of how the representatives of the Northern Counties Association propose to assist the farmer in his difficult)". There is no doubt that the local rates in this part of the country are a real menace to the producer, and these local bodies which are largely responsible for this menace are now .endeavouring to blame the Government or anyone else than themselves for the position. All we ask is that the small working fanner go into this problem for himself and see if it is Government taxation or wages that is his trouble. He is not 'Worrying about the ten per cent. penal"ty"on lii? direct Government tax, as he seldom has a land or income tax to pay. He does, though, worry about his ten per cent penalty on his local rates. Yet we find these lately converted apostles of thrift, who by their past extravagance have landed him in the mire, shouting loudly that it is the Government which was extravagant. The Government is not responsible for this rates menace, and surely if it is sound to turn out an extravagant Government—and we think it is—it is equally sound to turn out an extravagant local bedj". If Mr Bisset, instead of endeavouring to defend the wage-worker on such barren ground, had sheeted

home to these representatives some of theirTnvn shortcomings, he would have got further. The chairman, who has

no compunction in repudiating 5 an agreement with the workers, would no doubt be horrified at aT suggestion from the farmers or ■workers that they repudiate interest either on their houses or land. During the war, when they conscripted thft men, the Labour Party asked that they conscript wealth as well, so that the sacrifice should be equal. Wo know what happened then. Today Labour asks that capital take its share of the sacrifice, and it is just as much' the business of the Counties Association to delve into this as it is to delve into the Government wages question. They have not made such a startling success of the business they wore put on the county councils to do. Chairman Webb says the wageworker has his sympathy. Well,, what about him giving the 'bank and moneylenders his sympathy, and, at the same time, giving it them in the neck in the same way as he proposes giving the wage worker? The small farmer will be much more interested and benefited by a reduction in interest than in a reduction in wages or a. reduction in Government taxation, of which he pays little or none. He will be much more interested in a reduction of his local rates, and our representatives have enough to do to attend to that without using their time - "and our money for political propaganda purposes. These councillors are ashamed of their sug gestion to lower wages first, and want the Government/ to do the dirty work for them. Hoping I have not taken up too much of your space, I am etc., J. G. BARCLAY. |