REPLY TO "LOYALTY," FROM MARLBOROUGH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 11551, 3 December 1889, Page 2

REPLY TO "LOYALTY," FROM MARLBOROUGH.

TO TUB 'EDITOR. Sim, — Will you permit iuo to say a few words in answer to " Loyalty's " letter, which was copied from your paper by tho Marlboi'ough Press of tho 26th November. Your correspondent docs not seem to think the description of scenes of poverty, " which might apply to any other thicklypopulated country as well," are any • argument ill favour of Home Rule. Now, the fact is, Ireland is not a thickly-popu-lated country. It has room enough and to spare for millions more people; who • might live in comfort and plenty, without one starving individual, if only justice were done. As to the argument that there is greater poverty in London, it is something like saying that we should not try to cure a ; fever because we have not Vet found a perfect remedy for. consumption. The poverty iv London is a disgrace to our civilisation, a practical dpnial of the Christianity of Christ, and • something so terrible that wo ought to be ashamed fco speak of it as an excuse for anything olso. There, too, "Loyalty's " argument falls to the ground, for London has a commencement of Home Rule. Tho first London County Council is now sitting, and it is preparing to legislate on the subject of " landlords' interests,", by imposing rates and taxes on ground rents, asi advocated by tho Royal Commission for tho ho'nsing of the poor, of whioh Commission his Royal Highness, Albort Edward Prince of Wales, is president. Again "Loyalty" says: "If a man ronts a farm horo, and cannot, or ■will not, pay tho rent, wo all know the consequence. We know what the law is, and recognise it as just." Now some of us do not recognise it as just at all; that tho value which the land acquires from the growth of population, from' public, improvement, and from the industry of the tenant, should go to enrich a person who has done nothing himself to create that value. But " Loyalty " is utterly oblivious of tho true boarings of English law when he asks the following question, in which he unwittingly denounces, the landlords of Qrbat Britain ' h"iins.elfW!t Would any of our local Home Rulers ftllow a tenant to. rotain forcible posses, sjqn of a property if he rofiisodto pay tho rent;-*" I)qeg not. yoiu 1 - correspondent know that tho landlords themselves are but tonants of tho Stato, and that they owe arrears of rent for tho last 200 years of upwards of When* William tho Conqueror divided tho land among his warriors, ho gavo to each baron jurisdiction over a certain portion, but . not, ownership. They wore his tenants, and were obliged to pay him a threefold rent— service in time of war, and rent in money and kind. Consequently the only right to land in Great Britain and Ireland is tenant right, for tho same law extended to the lords of Ireland, after its conquest by Henry. 11. In 'the reign of' Henry YTJ a 'common' labourer's income was worth 4145 of our monuy, wlwpas now many do not get £50 per annum. But in William and Mary's reignß we find that the rent had dwindled down to a quarter, tho lords having managed to shift a groat part of ( their taxes on to tho people ; but ovon | then the land tax was 5s in tho pound on the rental value of tho land. Do tho landlords pay the tax? No! Yet the law has nover been repealed ; it could not he, for their right can never be' other than tenant right, but they have evaded tho law, and while charging their tenants rent on tho present value of the }and, jhey themselves pay their, renfc on'thd value of 200 yejij's qgo. ' JLlaqaulaytqlls ', jfs ; ','. !phe valuation made in 1692 has ; remained, iiwiilter.ed down to qiir own ' time.;' 'Is 'if any wonder that not only . Ireland, but Scotland, Wales and London ■ ask for Home Rule, in order to bo nM® to enforce, the' claims of justice, withheld from the'peoplq sq' long, 'The'ginglofax hn \km] yahws. will jyivp pqaco ah<}' prps'nrirjty to Ireland, and wjll restore |o the tyljolo people' their birthright — eyen the' oarth, w'lriph flip Lord hath given to all.' — 1 am, &<i., ■ ' . Paulinus. I