ANOTHER BATTLE GAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8680, 13 March 1914, Page 4

ANOTHER BATTLE GAGE

Mr Atmore, who is doing excellent work on the heels of “Reform,” which carefully refrains from engaging him on the platform, gave a challenge at Hastings to the party of that name, daring their Government to introduce “an effective land tax.” He plainly declared that if they do so, their days are numbered. Ho did not beat about the bush. He left “no possible, probable doubt whatever” about his meaning. He plainly and directly stated that if the Government dares to 'propose the “effective graduated land tax,” a writ'of eviction will be served upon them forthwith. He even named tne men who would do the serving— Messrs Campbell and Hunter, Sir \V. Buchanan, and the Hon. R. H. Rhodeo. To make his meaning still more clear, he tore to pieces the “Reform” pretence, now doing duty on various platforms and by the mouths of a horde of “organisers” of the secret surreptitious, but not silent, though whispering order. The pretence is that they have already established this effective tax. To prove how little effective thai tax is, the member for Nelson took the name of one of his certain writ-servers, the member for Hawke’s Bay. The effectiveness in the case of his principality of 40,000 acres he reduced within the compass of -£l2 4s 9d. Can anybody seriously believe that the owner of that principality is going to cut it up for small settlement at - reasonable prices to escape from the wrath of one pound sterling a month ? when by giving up cigars and taking to a pipe ho could rise superior to the dreadful impost, and still go on indulging that taste for sparkling vintages which he once wanted the Legislature to encourage by reducing the duty. That £l2 4s 9d simply knocked the bottom out of the effective taxation pretence. Thus the challenge of the member for Nelson to bring down a really effective tax stands out clear and bold. Will tbe Government dare to take it up? Will they risk that writ of eviction?