FARMERS AND SINGLE TAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11999, 23 June 1902, Page 7

FARMERS AND SINGLE TAX.

TO THE EDITOR; Sir,—ln yesterday's Herald Mr. Kirkbride, as chairman of the Mangere branch of the Farmers' Union; is reported to have said that "under a 5 per cent, land value tax (single tax) an average 200-acre farm would pay £92 10s per annum.". For ease of calculation, let iis, say it would even pay £100. That is, Mr. Kirkbride say's in effect, that the.average value of farm land in New Zealand is £10 per acre, whereas the average value of all alienated land in the colony; country, town, and city lands included, i? under £3 per acre. As some of the land is valued at over £50,000 per acre, where the average of £10 per acre for farm lands comes in, it is impossible for anyone but Mr. Kirkbride to say. For argument's sake, however, we will say that an average 200 acre farm in New Zealand would pay under a 5 per cent, land value tax £100 per annum that is, that, the average value of a 200acre farm is £2000. The improvements oh such a farm, which include fencing, draining, planting, clearing from timber, scrub and fern, laying down in grass, etc., also the machinery, plant, and implements of trade of the farmer, and his stock, furniture, etc., should, and would, oh such a farm, be worth another £2000. say, a total value for farmer's property of £4000. Is £100 per annum — that is, 2i per cent., too much for a man holding £4000 worth of pronerty in a. district where the unimproved value of land is £10 per acre to pay for the use of roads, bridges, schools, police, defence, and other Government services, within easy distance of a large town and an export harbour? As it matter of fact, there are comparatively few farmers who own £2000 worth of land Value. Even including towns and cities, where most land value lies, there are only 4059 persons in the colony who own land of the unimproved value of £2000 and over, whereas there are 87,442 persons who hold less than that value. The Government unimproved valui of Mr. Kirkbride's farm at Mangere is only £800, therefore if the .whole Single tax Were immediately introduced he would only pay £40 per annum in' taxes." The Government valuation of his improvements is £650: total capital value £1450. In the name of justice why should a man with £1450 worth of property pay less than £40, when the average working man, owning billy his furniture, valued at less than £100 pays through the Customs, and owing to protection, an average of over £20 per annum, . including middlemen's profits on the duties. Mr. Kirkbride owns a great deal more land value than the average small farmer, and even an average man in his position would pay no more through the single tax than he does now, as the following figures will show: —Taxes now paid by an average farmer with £800 of land value and £650 of improvement value, capital value £1450— tax, one penny in the £ on £800, less £500 exemption, £1 ss; road .rates on capital value, £1450, at halfpenny in £, £3 0s sd; Customs duties, including excise, five persons (average family), at £3 per head (average for colony), £15; importers', merchants', and storekeepers' profit* on above duties, sav, 50 pet cent.. £7 10s; higher price paid for locally-made protected goods than would bo paid for similar goods imported under free trade, £10: traders' profits On above higher price, say, 25 per cent., £2 10s; stamp, death, mortgage, sheep, income and other taxes, etc.. say. £2: total average taxes now paid. £41 5s sd. Undei a 5 per cent, land value tax the same owner would only pay £40.—T am. etc.. ' • V M. Kind, Hon. Secretary National Single Tax League. Elliott-street, June 21, 1902.