TAXING THE LAND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2792, 5 June 1890, Page 2

TAXING THE LAND.

TO THE KDITOU. Sin, —Your correspondent, "T. M.," has tried very hard to misrepresent the teachings of Henry George, but I think few of your readers will be misled by his pretensions effusions, Without the slightest knowledge of what Henry George really teaches, ho invents a number of absurb and paradoxical expressions which lie parades as the theories of Henry George, and then proceeds to demolish them, posing all the time as a critic of that ereat reformer. Hβ then sanctimoniously voters ti) the ten commandmants from which I presume he has expunged all reference to " false witness." With regard to my letters, after finding a difficulty in iguoringthem altogether, as he did in his previous letters, he cautiously says " that he will not go into my cheese paring arguments." Of course every one knows what lie means by that. I can only repeat what 1 said before " that Henry George does not propose either to buy or take the land from those who are now using it," or in any way to intefere with security of tennure, and as .for taking the value out in taxes, I have shown in my first letter that is already done. Under a tax on unimproved land values the burden of taxation would fall much lighter on the farmer than it does now. In order to expose his extreme ignorance of the subject under discussion, "T. M." foolishly asks: " Could they (the farmers) pay interest on the value of land and the necessary existing taxes as well?" I think that is what most of the fanners are doing now, but it is the very thing that would be avoided under George's lystem of taxation. "The existing taxes " would be altogether superfluous. It is this double system of taxation that is crushing the life out of the fanning industry here and all over the world. " T.M." evidently thinks that because some land speculators have burnt their fingers that the taxation should be made to fall very lightly upon them. One would infer that he belongs to this unfortunate class. [am not aware, howover, that speculation means all gain and no loss, or all loss and no gain. I find that laud speculation has had this effect upon Waikato farmers—it has caused most of them to pay double or treble value for their land, and to put themselves under a, lifc-erinding mortgage tax in order to pay for it. Of course "T.M. " thinks this is quite right and proper, and that in addition to this that farmers should be heavily taxed upon all their improvements. With regard to large land-owners I havo said nothing, though "T.M. " wrongly infers that I have them in view. Tho more capital a man has, the more land he can cultivate, and it is right that it should be so. We object only to those who hold land—whether, in large or small quantities—for speculative purposes, and thus force bona fide settlers to pay more than its legitimate value. In other words, to quote "T.M.'s" own reasoning, " Why should tho rich set up an accursed sword to debar the poor from the enjoyments of the fruits of their labour and the bounties of the Creator ?" In conclusion I would recommend " T.M. " to devote some little attention and Study to his subject before rushing into print, and thus placing himself among those who rush in where ansels dare not venture.—Yours, &c. J. I'KN,