Uflies.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 24, 31 March 1893, Page 2

Uflies.

The following passage relative to progressive taxation, a question at present of some particular interest, is taken from " Public Finance, ' a book recently published by Professor Bastable of Trinity College :— ' The deduction of £10 from A's income of £100, and of £10,000 from Bs of £100,000 will, it is maintained, inflict greater suffering on A thaa on B. Such ia the assumption of the upholders of progression, and their view accords with popular sentiment. There ie, nevertheless, room for doubt. Is it really certain that A» whose income is reduced from £100 to £90 is worse treated than B whose £100,00018 brought down to £90,000? There can be no dispute as to the wants which the latter will have to leave unsatisfied being very much slighter than those of A, when looked at from the same point of view. But the point of view ia not the same, Bs system of life on its material side is so differently constituted from A's that any comparison of the kind is absurd. £10 from A's income may mean the loss of a certain amount cf alcoholic drinks ; B, by having to give up £10,000 may lose the chance of purchasing an estate, or may have to abandon some social ecbeme that he could otberwiie have carried out. The economic calculus is not at present competent to deal with such comparisons. The complexity of th c problem is admittedly great and not to be solved by simple methods.' 1 Mr R. Slater, as acting secretary of the Workers' Political Com. mittee, (says the Dunedin Scar) has circulated among the local labour unions, for suggestions or approval, a draft of the " platform of the 1 abour party," which embraces some sixteen " planks," as follows :— 1, Securing of voting power to every adult. Qualification, one month's residence in the colony. 2. Securing of voting power for every adult householder in municipal elections. 3. All local boards tobeelected annually, on the same franchise as parliamentary elections, 4. All parliamentary elections on the same day ; said day to be a public holiday, and ail hotels to be closed. 5. All education to be free and secular, from the primary schools to the university. Elementary education to be compulsory up to the age of fourteen years, or until the pupil passes the Fifth Standard. Admission to the high schools to be open to all who have passed the Sixth Standard, or by junior scholarship ; said scholarship to be increased. All education endowments to be under the control of the Minister of Education. One universal set of standards, and one sat of school books for the colony. 6. The State to find employment for all those who cannot find it for themselves ; such work to be done on the cooperative principle. 7. Statutory eight-hour day for all workers, or forty-four hours per week. 8 Statutory prohibition of foreign labour under contract. 9. Repeal of all conspiracy laws relating to industrial disputes. 10. Compulsory arbitration. 11. State ownership of land, railways, mines, and coastal marine. 12. The creation of an old-age pension fund by means of a progressive income tax. 13. A State bank of issue. 14. An elective Governor. 15. The abolition of the Upper House as at present constituted, and the substitution of a Revisionary Committee, to consist of twenty-five members elected by and from the House of Representatives. In the case of a deadlock between the two Houses the whole number to meet together and decide the question at issue by the vote of the majority. 16. The drink traffic to be absolutely controlled by the people. A poll to be taken periodically in all licensing districts for the purpose of deciding whether existing licenses (if any ) shall be renewed ; and, if a majority of votes are cast against the renewal, all hotels, clubs, grocers', bottle, and wholesale licenses shall cease to exist io Buch district for the term for which such poll has beeo taken. All persons on the parliamentary roll to be qualified to vote. This programme, as our readers will perceive, is tolerably com prehensive. In fact it would be somewhat difficult to decide as to the extreme points that it does not include. But, for example, where is the money to come from ? That extended educational system, at least, must require a pretty penny, and then only think of the unfortunate dances unable to pass the Fifth Standard, who would bo kept at school all the days of tLeir lives. Who, again, Bhoald beat the trouble of finding work for himself, were the State ready to provide him with it ? But, in a word, it is to be hoped the Labour Party will have more sense than to adopt ends which must arm against them every sensible and disinterested man outside the ranks of their calling, aa well as a good many of those within them. The Waimate News is accountable for the following : — Mr Geo< Bircbfield, organiser for the Amalgamated Shearers' and Labourers