The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-04-21
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY.
NEW zEALAND'S EXAMPLE.
How the Peoples Party Rescued a
Bankrupt Colony.

and healthy growth of the Peoples
party down in Dixie:
Only few years ago New Zealand's
financial standing was in very pre-
carious condition. Through the cor
rupt management of pol't partisan
ship it had lost completely its credit
abroad and became, to all appearances,
an irreparabie bankrupt. Only the
laboriDg people gave not up the hope of
redeeming its credit. They knew the
value of their rich soil, knew that if the
government could be changed, taken
out of the hands of the corrupt old
parties and placed under proper man
agement that all would be we'll, con-
fdence could be restored and healthy
condition of affairs re.established SO
the farmers and laborine people united
and through the ballot defeated the
corrupt old party and placed their men
in power They elected their head of
the government, all the members OF the
cabinet were Of their party and choice,
congress and the legislature were COM
posed of the Peoples party.
England and the other colonies hear
ing Of this change and the great success
of the Peoples party prophesied New
New Zealand's complete downfall and
bankruptcy. The English banks
withdrew their capital and the landed
aristocracy sold their lands as quick as
they could and opportunity offered, and
not only sold but also left the country
fearing a reign OF communism and
anarchy. That these fears were I'M
founded is proven by the present -four
ishing and healthy condition of the
country.
The new government began its work
by retrenching the expenditures of the
colony about one.third. Not Satisfied
with curtailing expenses, they also
sought meaes to augment their income
This they achieved by creating an in
come tax. They imposed tax or
every individual whose income wa:
fl50 and more year, the rate of taxa
ton to be regulated annually by par
lament. They abolished the advaloren
tax Oh property, but established a tax
on lands, the rate of which was also
regulated annually by parliament
They especially made the uncultivatet
lands subject to taxation, thus striking
hard the large land owners who hello
the same only for speculation The
rate of this tnx was as follows: A body
of land valued at $4,000 they began
with, and the owners had to pay ! of 9
pence for every fl annually; land;
valued at 100000 and over had to pay
pence on every Fl, and so on, raising
the rate in proportion, until the highest
valuation, 100000, was reached, when
the owner had to pay Il pence on every
FL. With this tax, which was to reach
the large land owners, and especially
these who were foreigners absent from
the colony, soon filled the treasury SC
we'll that not only no more money fol-
government and commercial purposes
was required from England, as loans
but parliament had to find means tc
avoid a surplus In the colonial treasury
Now let us review the actions of the
Peoples party and its consequences
The late bankrupt colony is in the most
flourishing condition; the lands held by
the rich and large speculative land
owners were sold in small parcels tt
farmers and producers, with such good
effect that while under the corrupt ole
party government in 1856 the colony
of New Zealand exported only $4,000,
900 of produce, as wool, meats, butter
and cheese, it exported under the
farmers government in 1890, $780,
600 worth, and in 1912, the exports
reached a much larger sum. Yes, thu
colony now has introduced irrigatins
bitches, and exports frat to the amour
Of 100000 pounds, while ia 1885,
only about 100000 pounds of frui
were exported. in 1896 abou
5000, 1000 pounds Of dry fruit wer
exported in 1882 the export of Or,
fruit reached 3G,O0O,000 pounds. A
the same rate have augmented the man
ufacturing resources on account of tn
flourishing condition of agriculture
This year there are i'll the colony ofNev
Zealand $50 factories, whose produc,
amounts annually to 80 100000. Al
this has been achieved by the govern-
meat of farmers and laborers, who
when they came to power wefe desPise(
and ridieoled. The credit of the col
90 Nam Zealand Glands hiobar nou