MR COATES' FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3269, 7 March 1931, Page 5

MR COATES' FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

Sir, —Mr Coates's idea that the settling of people on the land as farmers will increase the aggregate national wea th is an old one and a true one, but it all depends on how these people are settfed as to whether any one of them benefits by this increase in the common fund. It is the method that counts. His statement that increased production is the key to greater national wealth is quite correct, but that it wi'l, as he says, improve the condition of the people is another matter, and by reminding us of Great Btitam having to spend £73,000,000 on unemployment he immediate y knocks over his " castle in Spain." If increased production and national wealth does away with then Great Britain should have less unemp'oyed than New Zea'and. But the fact is that Great Britain with her incalcu 7 able wealth and production is in a worse state of unemployment than we are. That the great wea'th is there there is no doubt, but evidently it is not getting as far as the general public who create it, otherew'se there woud be no hunger and discontent. The true/remedy lies in releasing land, the source of-all Fnecu'ative va'ues and securing to the nat'on the community-created at the same time removing from trade all the restrictions and taxation which it has to bear at the present moment. The best Mr Coates's scheme can do is to improve the lot of the few who wi'l benefit .by State assistance at the expense of the many. I am, etc., FACTS.