LAND VALUES LEAGUE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8784, 14 July 1914, Page 8

LAND VALUES LEAGUE

FAVOURS A PLEBISCITE. At last night’s meeting of the Land Values League, Mr G. Fleming moved:—(l) WJiereas the steady increase in the cost of living is pressing more and more heavily upon the wages of the workers, and having regard to the enoxmous increase in the profits of more land speculators, this league demands that a plebiscite of the electors be taken upon the issue: That the ordinary land tax be increased by 2d in the £, and that the Customs duties on the necessaries of life bo reduced by the amount of revenue so raised. (2) That arrangements be made for a deputation to the Right Hon. Mr Massey to place the matter bdfore him.

In moving the resolution, Mr Warren said the Government appeared to bo dealing in plebiscites just now, and there was no, reason why a question of such importance as the taxation of land values and the cost of living should not be submitted directly to the popular vote. , In fact, this was a very proper subject for a plebiscite. , , Mr McDonald seconded the resolution. During the last twenty years the unimproved value of land had increased by £140,000,000, or an average of £7,000,000 annually. Yet the land-tax revenue 'amounted only to £700,000 per annum, while the Customs taxes, falling mainly upon the earnings of the landless people, amounted to five times that sum.

Mr Bruton said the tax , burden on tobacco alone was £900,000 per yearCustoms tax, £600,000, dealers’ profits on the same £300,000. He thought a plebiscite on the question would be peculiarly appropriate. The maia factor in the high cost of commodities was the excessive price of land. Moreover, the country had already affirmed the principle of the plebiscite in connection with local taxation, and had worked very well. Mr O’Began heartily agreed with the resolution. The great advantage of a plebiscite would he that a clear issue would be _ placed before the Joeople, and the question could ho discussed with duo regard- to the useful principles of relevancy. Such a plebiscite would compel the land monopolist to attempt to defend himself, .and once they could force him into that position, the battle would, be won. , , Mr Withy said that if the workers of New Zealand once realised how, as Richard Cobden said, they wore “cheated, robbed and bamboozled by Customs taxation, which imposed upon tho workers a burden equal to an income tax of 3s 9d in tho £, while on a man with £IO,OOO a year tho Customs tax burden amounted to an income tax of only id in the £, they would vote for the plebiscite proposal to a man. . .. , . Others followed m a similar strain, and tho resolution was carried unanimously.