New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-01
TAXATION IN NEU-/FALAND
VIEWS EXPRESSED OS soC1ALlsrIc LEGISLATION
DIFFERING FROM THOSE OF THE UNITED
STATES CONSUL At AuCkLAND

DIFFERING FROM THOSE or THE UNITED
STATES consul At AUCKLAND
In reply TO a letter OF inquiry as to the report OF
John u. Connolly. United States Consul at Auck-
land upon the operation Of the system OF taxation
recently adopted In NewZealand. the following COM
municaton has been received from John Mecson
the honorary corresponding secretary Of the LIB
erjy and Property Defence League. OF London. IL
Is addressed to Bolton Hall, OF NO Ill Broadway
the secretary OF the New-York Tax Reform Asso
citation.
Mr. Meeson does not agree with Mr. Connolly in
ascrlbng the breaking up OF large landed estates to
the effect Of the new Land tax. but his explanation
that the real is to be found In the low price
for produce and the labor difficulty IS not borne out
Mr.. Hall suggests. by the results OF similar cond
lions In England lie confuses the land tax Win
the scheme 81 government assistance 10 farmers
lie believe, that state all to cooperative colonies
causes annual increase in the number oil the ""-
employed.
Mr. Nelson's report shows effectively the opposite
view Of recent legislation In New-Iealand from 'ha'
taken by Mr.. Connolly. and Is valuable IN SHOWING
that citizens Of that country are Tar from IMAM
nous in their support OF the new tax system al
though TO It Is credited the immense immigration.
The letter Is dated Chrstchurch club Canterbury.
New-Zealand. August %. 1884,. and Is IA follows
Mr. W C. Crofts the secretary Of the Liberty ana
Property Defence League. London mas i"r"df"ei
ia me as the honorary corresponding secretary TO
his society your letter - him bearing date Apr
o 1885, asking him for Information u ne can CIV
anv an socialatic taxation In New-Iealani. and
with especial reference to report sent by MI Johh
u connolly United States Consul at Auckland IN
when that gentleman takes a very optimistic view
and Income Assessment act OF 1871 MI Crofts can
not readily get reliable or recent lhiorHia'oh' ou'
asks me briefly TO reply 10 you ,
The act 1891 repealed the Property Assessment
act OF 1855 and all s amendments, ana came h In,o
operation In lieu thereof. but there was ho,hIns
very hazardous about the chang nor was ,n Inn M
any revolutonizng Very nearly ,me sam ~,
persons pay under the new act az Iaid uhi.r ~
predecessor. that 1t IS IN no wise rte,Inn
The credit OF she c9l3ny mas of @
particularly as compared to the other Australaslan
colonies; but that has certainly not been IN conse
nence 81 the new taxation schemes OF the balance
snd Seddon Ministries. 1t rather has arisen from
the cessation Of borrowing inaugurat,a Dy ,hs
booms and consequent disastrous collapse' also rom
the fact that for many years now mann
about 100000 worth Of goods more than We nave
9h~ purpose Of the balance and seldom Govern
ments Darilcularly the latter In their legislation
,n ,ax,iion has been simply this: To get support
from the majority of the people Ihey nave payer
10 the gods, They have placed the burden 81
tovatinn as far as they dared on the shoulders Of
The most wealthy. The consequence Is mat CAPT
raj with rs usual scnsitlveness. has been frightened
thromehomt the land At present only the richest
perhars about 5000 people. out OF $1,000. are MI harh
but with increased necessity the Polhi al wcn ,hr
Graduated land tax commences Will only too probably
be much more than tn value i3Wsl hencr genera era
estate. Industrial stagnation. lack OF emp.oyment
For yyorkngmcn, ana anxiety ABOUT tne nature "i
he ncxt slep To- be taken by a Soclalistic Govern
ment All these features characterize the present
position. - A. -, 49,
Under the act Of 1891 up 10 now the tax has been
i'd I'm the pound sterling upon the value or all dnn
and every mortgage Jf land. IL was the same under
,ha old nroperty tax improvements mp To n certain
value are exempted from taxation. ana also certain
classes Of personally. ,,, l., ,,,,,., =, ,ho
culinary tax is not as yet very crushing, but II IL
az 70 he only the thin end Of the wedge. II does
nnt however operate yet In the direction or
rorcng large land proprietors TO divide and sell their
ne,ates Low prices for produce and the labor aim
cuIty are responsible for any movement there may
be In that direction; . - o,,,o, 1. g., oo.r.
ron along with the land tax. and rightly SO; Tor II
80 ,jd nv most people that those VINO made thelr
Wrpg otherwise than by the cultivation OF the SOIL
houd contribute their share to the expense or gov.
ornn,enf or course. income from mortgages ana
renis from land or the produce thereof pay no IN
.m taxation OF course Is disiiked. but nave no
hesitation in saying that the property tax win an
i,s sa,,its did not beget such bitter luminosity as
Rave heard expressed In many quarters In regard
10 the land tax ,. ,h ara =, vary
,hn moor fellows who have Joined them complain
sally of the difficulty they have In making a nving
md as to the cooperative principle. wherepy
nn IN gangs are encouraged to take contracts Tor
r rw.rnment work the mischief OF II Is that the
on are often making too good wages and the
than II would other wise cost. Moreover TINS de
nelghboring workmen. for as the contracts
are given ony to the unemployed STEADY worknieh
eave their bIllets and Join the ranks OF the nneh
n,oved in order to get better wages AND inc ranks
Of The unemployed therefore daily Increase IN num-