MR. McLEOD REPLIES.

Wairarapa Age, 22 December 1919, Page 5

MR. McLEOD REPLIES.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Mr W. J. Tcnncnt, in his reply to me in your issue of December 20th,ssab it would have been a reasonable thing for Mr McLeod to have proved his statement, which ho could not do, but has put tho onus on him *Mr Tennent) to provo that I was wrong. Mr Tennent, in this case, is tho challenger, and he should know that in law the onus of proof alwayb rests upon the person who makes the charge. Consequently, Mr Tennent must supply proof that my statement is wrong, which he has not done. 1 stated that 290 persons paid income tax on £9,043,347 in 1918, and on tho avorage their incomes came to £3l 19s 4d apiece, and Mr Tennent has proved nothing to the contrary. Ho suggests I should write to tho Commissioner of Taxes. I am, however, content to rely on the source from which I hare taken my figures, and venture to say that Mr Tennent will not have much to commend hia argument when this controversy is ended. He then goes on to say that my figures have probably booh supplied by tho Labour Party in Wellington, and that I am not responsible. That is an inference that does not reflect credit on one who professes any degroo of culture. Even if he thought so, any attempt to belittle does not find favour with tho average lay mind. Now, about that Australian worker Mr Tennent met in tho train at the Upper Hutt, who described New Zealand as a worker'jt paradise, and who, ho thinkp, ia right. Well, let up analyse the situation. In tho year 1917 the number of deaths recorded in New Zealand was 10,528. The number of estates left in that yeai was 3873. In 1917, whilo 6G55 people of all ages diod and left nothing worth recording, 77 people of all ages died and left between them £3,583,439, an average of nearly half a m llion pounds each. (This is obviously incorreot.—Ed. "Ago.") The estimated jfrivate wealth of tho Dominion on December 31st, 1917, was £376,332,763, an average of £343 pei head of population, exclusive ol Maoris, or on average for a family oi five of £1715. The average enrn'ng for the year 1916 in tho manufactur ing industries was £133 9s 6d for men, and £56 14s 4<i for women, at cording to the Government Statician. Tho total number of inhabited private dwellings and tenements in Mbhterton ie 1287. Of this number, no lead than 673, that is, more than one half, are paying rent. They don't even own tho house they live in. Tlu number buying on time payment it 109, and if over there is a slump in prices or employment, it is safe tc say that harally tfne of these will br ablo to continue the'i payments; 230 people are paying interest on mortgage. Those people who are supposed to have a stake in the country, with a mortgage tied to it, is only a "kid stake." Only 269 peoplo in tho whole of Masterton (about 21 per cent) own the'r homo unencumbered. This state of things in Masterton is typical of what exists all over tho country. The total number of occupants of the 1287 dwelling places referred to is shown in the census of 1916 as 6335. If wr take the Government StatistiVanV figures on the increased cost of living during the war, we find that tho purchasing power of tho sovereign has declined on threo food groups alone (groceries, dairy produce, and meat) to 13s. So much, Mr Tennent, for the information you received from the man in tho train that New Zealand is a working man's paradise. Your roforence to emigrant taxpayers and go slow policy I pasß over as mere capitalistic piffle. In his concluding remarks, Mr Tennent says we are alt agreed with Mr McLeod and tlx Labour Party that things could be improved, but wo disagree on the way we are to improve. Then the electors have agreed in no unmistake able manner on the 17th of thn month that they havo little conli denco in the Party Mr Tennent fought so strenuously for to improve tho con ditions of the great musses of the people, when they recorded 315,838 votes against and 199,652 for Mr Massey's Party, thus leaving 315,833 ot the people without representation. In conclusion, let me draw Mr Tennent't attention to this fact, that of the total estimated value of New Zealand's wealth (£800,000,000) one hun : droel million only is publicly owned and controlled. Tho remaining seven hundred m : Hion is owned and con trolled by 5J per cent of tho peoplo, and at the last census 600,000 adult voters were registered, of whom 480, 000 do not own a single inch of then country's soil. In face of all these facts, Mr Tennent would havo us be lieve that New Zealand is tho paradise of the working man, because, as ho says, tho man in the.train told him so.—l am, otc., ALEX. McLEOD.

Moßtorton, Dec. 20, 1911). (Wo do not think any good purpose can bo served by continuing this controversy.—Ed. "Ago.")