A Policy for the Liberal Government.

Observer, Volume X, Issue 603, 24 January 1891, Page 4

A Policy for the Liberal Government.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,— The first Btep for the Government to take should be to offer employment to every unemployed person in New Zealand at the ' Union wages ' now paid by the various trades. The unemployed in developing our fisheries. The wages should be paid with printed paper, similar to our Postal Notes, and the fish or fruits of labour sold in the highest markets of the world. Once start this system and it will be found that there will arise a demand for more labour than can be found in the whole world. The instruments of production and distribution can be purchased, (or produced, if too dear to purchase) with paper money. The money will always maintain its value if the State can produce at the same cost as private people whe employ capital, which is in reality employing the ' right to rob.' Of course this will prevent me and all others in the fish business from getting rich or winning the power to rob others. To balance this there will be no need for honest industrious man to be compelled to gather the crumbs from the rich man's table. There would be plenty for every human being. As the State enters into new industries it will kill the revenue derived from the Customs' because nothing would be imported that could be profitably produced here The taxes and interest could be paid out of the profits of ; the various industries and all taxation could be removed from private citizens. This is our only plan to get this colony out of its difficulties. The private people and their produce should be carried free on the railways and Government coastal steamers. I contend that this can be done and still make production pay, because neither Rent nor Interest would have to come out of the prices of goods produced and sold by the State. In order not to ruin the rich too soon, the Property Tax should be abolished at the earliest possible moment and every encouragement given to private producers. The day is past for us to pay our way under the old system. We have been selling Rent for years and spending the proceeds in producing wealth, but now we have no more rent to sell unless we lower the wages or standard of our living in the colony. We have now developed the knowledge how to produce without the aid of capital, so are not likely to try the starving system any longer. If your readers have developed the knowledge that there is anything wrong or unfair in society as at present constituted 1 am ready with the details of a new and better social system. Of course I have no wish to force my ideas on the public and shall not be offended if this reaches the waste paper basket. — lam, etc., Eobinson Crusoe. January 2nd, 1891.