NEW ZEALAND SOCIALISM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8490, 19 July 1907, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND SOCIALISM.

(7rom Our London Correspondent.) LONDON.. June 3, 1907. Mr Abraham Dixon, of Cherkley Court, Leatherhead, for many years head of the firm of Messrs Kabone 3ros. and Co., of Birmingham, and largely interested in Dixon's Investment Company, which is limited in its operations to investments in New Zealand, liar, just died leaving an estate of more than £IOO,OOO. The testator, by his will, advises his trustees mt to increase holdings in the Investment Company, and states that while he has confidence in the company and its directors, he does not wish to increase his or his widow's interests in New Zealand, as he fears a recurrence of Socialistic legislation which would be inimical to the interests of investors. Mr Dixon was no doubt a prudent man, who did not wish to have all hi? eggs in one "Vbaskct, but had he lived to hear Lord Rothchild's reasons why British Consols have been falling so much in price, he might have preferred to invest more largely in a country where Socialistic legislation has reached its utmost limit, rather than seek new investments v/heu industrial legislation is only in its initial stages. Socialism is raising its head in every country, and it is •difficult to gauge for the moment what the effects of it will be in this jflt-c-Mjntry. Some students of econoOTft:s are of opinion that Government Socialism cannot do any harm in New Zealand, owing to its small population of less than a million. The fertility of the soil and the other wealth of its natural resources are so great that Socialism there is harmless. But Socialism on the New Zealand pattern might do much harm in Great Britain. Mr Dixon's fears, at all events, are somewhat exaggerated. If New Zealand were to approach the London market just now -with the object of floating a new loan, it would get all it wanted, subscribed over and over again, at a sufficiently low rate of interest, Socialistic legislation notwithstanding.