DOWN GRADE OF SOCIALISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8629, 27 July 1891, Page 3

DOWN GRADE OF SOCIALISM.

TO THE EDITOR. » * Sir,l have read with* much pleasure th« articles contributed to your paper by Mr. F. G. Ewington. There is much cause for reflection in what he has written, though I have no doubt he will be put down as aa alarmist by a good many people. It must be evident to any _ person watching passing events, not only in this colony but in many parts; of;the world, that the spirit is stirring for class legislation by a certain party, who are making every effort to obtain power, which, if they should succeed in, will be the greatest calamity the world ever knew. Mr. v Ewington has, I consider, shown a thorough knowledge of the subject, and fully sees the danger to our- colonial ship if those who do not hold such socialistic views are not up and doing. Now, I was rathtr struck with the programme of the .National Association of Victoria,, and pub- , lished in your issue of July 15, anci perhaps something like it would suit our need. I hope Mr. Ewington will go a bit further in the matter, and draw up what he considers would meet the point he has raised, and push it forwardjwith his well known energy. We must attack the political claptrap of some o( our political men, who, for the sake of gain* ing seats of power, pose as labour candidate} at election times, and to do it, endeavour ta ; lead the large populations to believe that the> have been plundered out of -".their ! righths (the land), and go in for land robbery or,, as they call it, land nationalisation. : It is not land such men want, but popularity, * other people's expense, for, as Mr. Ewington very truly remarks, our land laws are most liberal for any man who would wish to make & home on the - > land. I would much like some 'of our well« known Auckland agitators of land for the people to be put on a bit of land and made to live on it. I guess they would not think much of the life, because they would have to work or starve. But I am getting away from the point I started on, and the question now is: Are we to take-any < united action to protect ourselves from being robbed, as is now proposed, by land nationalisation ; or v are we to sit down with ; folded arms and watch it .v come, and then say, "Who would havel thought it?" No: I say let every man' or woman- owning \ land, small holders as well as big ones, be up ; and doing and resist by every , fair means Wxiat is being attempted to be brought about: by unprincipled agitators who have nothing : to lose '.and much to gain by instilling into i men a minds that they have the right toother people land. There are still in New Zealand millions t>f acres that want hands, and if there are millions of hands that want acres they can get it without making a grab for 1 what other people have paid for.— am, &c— Mauku, July 20,1891. H. CrispeT^