The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-09-24

A Naive OF the island Tells Of The Advan-
tars OF f.ararnuena nnn.rshfs,.


taBs OF GSVsfnmsns 0Wasrshig.
The following statements are made
y ?. Alsop, Of Auckland, New Zealand,
3 new arrival in Colorado in search Of
health.
1.-THE problem of providing for the
in New Zealand is about |
solved. In fact the unemployed are
very, very few. The same may be said |
Of the tramp question. Tramps ars be- /
coming very scarce there now, though |
six years ago they we're as numer-
Gus as they are in the United States.
The few remaining are the inoOrrigible
cases. When they die of the tramp
will be known no more inNeH Zealand.
"Fhess are but two Of a great many
remarkable changes wrought in the
country in few years. All has been
wrought by the socialistic policy. The
country is pretty far advanced in So
cialism. The experiments have been
so entirely satisfactory that when the
government went to the country with
a much mora advanced sOeialistie pol
icy last December it vas endorsed by
an enormous majority,
"The common people Of New Zealand
are far in advance Of the same class in
this country for the reason that the
eight hour system has been vigorously
observed, which has provided time for
reading and thought.
"strikss have been done away with
by the substitution of boards Of con-
ciliation and arbitration. The law
makes it obligatory in all disputes
between employers and employees that
the subject of dispute shall be submit
cd to the board of Cancellation. This
board is composed Of five men; two
chosen by the employees, two chosen by
the employers, while a judge Of the
supreme court makes the fifth. If
either party is dissatisfied with the
decision an appeal may be Ia
ken to the board Of arbitration,
which consists of three members;
one chosen by the workingmen, one
chosen by the employer and the third
again a judge Of the supreme court.
The decision Of the board Of arbitra-
ton is final. 1t must be obeyed. Heavy
penalties are provided for violation,
and the penalties are enforced, too.
The defeated party in an appeal must
pay the costs. The boards are to all
intents and purposes courts Of law.
They have power to summon witnesses
and to punish for contempt. The moral
effect Of these boards has been most
wholesome. Disputes between employ
ers and employees have been reduced to
minimum. The weaker party will yield
rather than risk the payment of costs
unless he has 8 good cause. But the
workingmen in particular are delighted
with the system.
"NeW Zealand is now very prosperous
compared to what it was q few years
ago, This prosperity is attributed to
the land tax and land policy Of the
government. This is not a single tax,
but approaches it in principle. The
land tax is not a tax on land, but a tax
on land values. It ranges from penny
to the pound to three-penee to the
pound, with an extra penny added for
absentees. The effect of this has been
to reduce alien ownership. European
landlords soon get tired of paying the
heavy tax. The very soon become more
than willing to sell out in small parcels
and at low figures. This has precisely
the effect intended-it gives actual set
tiers an opportunity to obtain homes
at reasonable figures. Large estates
are rapidly breaking up. In a few years
they will cease to exist. I should say
in this connection that actual settlers
are permitted to have land to the value
of $500 exempt from taxation. Be-
sides this We have the graduated in
come tax. All incomes under 81 800 are
exempt; from sl,5GO to 5000 the tax is
~ per cent; all over 5000 pays 5 per
cent tax. All corporations and absen.
tees pay the full per cent without ex-
emption. These two taxes take the
place Of the old property tax, which
has been abolished.
"The government obtains large tracts
of land which it leases to actual set
tiers for 500 years. II the settler is de-
serving, and he cannot lease the land
If he is not, the government will lend
him the material to the value Of 500
to build a house; then it will allow him
g certain sum per acre for clearing the
land; it will also provide him not more
than three days Of eight hours each
per week with work on roads or other
public improvements, so that he may
support himself and family until he
can raise crops. The government is
reimbursed for all this by the increase
in land values due to increased popu-
lstion, on which il collects q tax, as
have already said.
"Ths government bOrrOws money in
Europe in large sums Wh,eh it lends to
the farmers. The government pays
per cent interest and charges the far
mer 8 per cent. As 3 matter Of fact,
the farmer pays 6 Per cent per aanum,
l per cent Of which goes into a sinking
fund to cancel the principal. After
paying 6 per cent per year for 70 years
the debt is extingaished. This plan