A PEER'S "EMPLOYMENT."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12936, 29 November 1909, Page 4

A PEER'S "EMPLOYMENT."

"Lord Ridley ridiculed the contents of 'this poor man's' Budget, since it taxed his great necessity — employment." — Item from the. Budget debate in the House of Lords. Lord Ridley has never done anything great or distinguished, though he has been lucky enough to inherit lrom his father 10.20J acres of land. The cheap claptr..jquoted above reminds one rather strong* ot the similar claptrap used by Mr W. F. Massey and the New Zealand Tory Opposition, when similar measures to benefit the poor man aie proposed here. The Budget, it' it pass, will probably also tax the '•employment" of Lord Ridley and many , of his fellow peers, but in their case "employment" means- doing nothing to gain a living beyond enjoying themtelves with money they do not earn. The big estates are let at rack rents to tenant farmers, who must pay the rent no matter what else is unpaid. The Budget will do something to end this sort of thing, consequently Lord Ridley '& opposition to it begins to be understood. If it pass he will have to sell a motor car or two, and will only be able to subscribe to one club, instead of to two. Perhaps— horrible thought — it may even compel him to do a certain amount of work. Then lie will find that the passing of the Budget has made work a little easier to get.