THE LABOUR PROGRAMME

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7111, 25 April 1910, Page 9

THE LABOUR PROGRAMME

RANO-ATATJA MAN INDIGNANT. (To tbo Editor "N.Z. Tlimil"> Sir, —la there any satisfying some people? There is vour allejjedv hard-working correspondent from Hastimrs. -with a deeplv professed concern for the worker, decryinsr the Australian Notional Labour party and accusinc them of "playine into the hands of privilege and monopoly." What in heaven next? I have heard them accused of having designs on the marriage tie. and the institution of wild and woolly free love, and other iests. But surely this must bo the limit! Ho also incidentally remarks that they are unsound on land value taxation, when a perusal of their fifjhtinsr platform reveals the fact that they are for the "immediate stoppajre of further sales of all Crown lands.';/*fixity of tenure—leasehold only." apo. a progressive tax on land values." with an exemption. I believe, up to J 35000. I ' don't know what particular breed of land reformer vour correspondent is. but if neither nationalisation when possible, and tho next best thing when not will not suit bim, he is remarkably hard to please. Again, " the exploded fallacies c< protection" appear, on the face of facts, to be something extra special in th.s way of Huff." The only free trade «ouitrv of anv consequence that I know of is England, and if Mr Stevenson has any knowledca of contemporary history he must know that just at present it is a very good place to be out of—for the worker, anyhow. _ I will admit that in nn ideal Socialistic State free trade must prevail: but will the latter brin* about the former? EmphaticallT no! It will bo tho effect of Utopia, not the sause, and nobody knows it better than tfr Pts-her and hw enlfjhtened party. In th» tame manner will »»ti-rafirr»r-iatn or Con-tnilifavrisja be an outcome of tho reali,uat:on of this dalaotnble dream. bat to; testes?-to preprowto -stuifce a blow in the meantime, if aaeessary. in defence jf on» of, tha fairest ooaniries on earth tfouM" b» sraioicUvl and madnen of the rtnt tTt».—'l arm, etc., H.D. Banjrataua, April 21st.