LARGE AND SMALL FARMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 2338, 4 September 1875, Page 3

LARGE AND SMALL FARMS.

To the Editor of the Taranaki Herald. Sir,—ln your issuo of the 25th August, you publish a letter signed " Advance," which is a very significant signature, producing in one's miud a conviction that the owner is one who is not satisfied with tho present state of things as they are, and will use his efforts to counteract abuse?, improve present inventions, and contribute his quota towards bringing up the rear of thoso who aro engaged in the laudable occupation of instructing the present generation in scientific calculation, in order to disprove what I stated in a letter you published in your journal to be tho unavoidable results of large runs Of land let to single iudividuals, in place of being occupied by many. I will copy tho sentence on which I intended to write, which is very different from what he chose to write upon. The first period in the leader of the News of the 16th August is," " Small holdings of land are not generally and proportionately so conducive to a nation's wealth as large farms or runs." " Advance " chose to set up a structure which he thought he could easily destroy. In my opinion, he completely destroys his own statements with the weapons he intends to establish them. He shows that if one man with £2,000 could use a piece of laud as well as a number could, he would have more money for himself, not for the nation. This money he could use as suited his views best. Can "Advance" show that eight men with their families, having the same capital as the siugle man, and cultivating the same quantity of land as he did, would not be of more service to the nation than one man and his family. Should this doctrine prove according to truth, it would show that our Government are profusely wasting the national money iv such a way that it will not take long to bring this country to total bankruptcy. In writing, I think " Advance" was head-strong, and could only see the interests of the single men. I am quite «ware there ore persons who wish to enjoy large slices of the country to themselves, to the exclusion of others. The Government of the neighbouring colonies have discovered the mistake they committed in granting so much land to single individuals as they formerly did, and are now endeavouring to retrace their steps by breaking up the large runs and giving them out in small quantities, in order that they may have more people in the country. lam quite at variance with "Advauce" as to what is best for the nation. He appears to think bullocks and sheep being kept to run over large pieces of land would serve tho interests of the nation better than men. As yet the large rnnholders have contributed but little, to the support of the colonies, ns compared with what the settlers have done, notwithstanding some have river frontages extending upwards of fifty-six miles. Tho large runholder only contributes to the National Government according to the consumption of those whom he maintains. Neither the bullocks or the sheep which are maintained by these large runs return anything in the of taxes, no willr they so long as the 'run-holders are the persons who levy the taxes on the inhabitants to maintain the Governments. Why should not the wool, which is the produce of the country, be taxed for its support? There would be greater equity in placing a tax on these results than there is in placing a tax on gold, which the poor man has to dig out of the bowels of the earth. Snch wealth is only got by severe toil, and not without considerable risk of life; but these men are not our law makers. Some years since I believe a member of the General Aesembly did propose, at a time when many new duties were being imposed on the inhabitants of the country, that id. or £d. be placed on wool. This was a signal for a commotion amongst those whose interests were connected with the wool growers. Neither Ministers nor members gave it the least countenance, and the' proposition fell to the ground, and has, not that I am aware, ever been attempted in our Government, equitable as we are accustomed to look upon it. I did intend saying many things which I have not said, but you and the public may think I have been too long.—l am, &c, G.