The Topeka state journal., 1897-06-25
Seems to be Working Success
fully in New Zealand.
A STRIKE UNKNOWN.
Government Manages Nearly
All the COuntry's Business.
BOrrOWs Money in Europe and
Loans it to the Farmers.

Il
land, New Zealand. yesterday Mr.. All
sop is a new arrival in Colorado in
search of health.
THE problem of providing for the un-
employed in New Zealand is about
solved. In fact, the unemployed are
very, very few. The same may be SAID
of the tramp question TranpS are be
coming very scarce there now, though
six years ago they were as numerous
as they are in the United States The
few remaining are the 1ncorrg1ble
cases. When they die on the tramp
viii be known no more in New Zealand.
These are but two of a great many
remarkable changes wrought IN the
country in a few years. All has been
wrought by the sOcialistic policy begun.
The country is pretty far advanced in
socialism. The experiments have been
SO entirely satisfactory that when the
government went to the country with
a much more advanced socialistic policy
last December the policy was indOrsed
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
Strikes have been done away with
by the substitution of boards of concih-
alton and arbitration. The law makes
it obligatory in all disputes between en-
plOyers and employees that the subject
board of Cancellation. This board is
composed of five men; two chosen by
the employees, two chosen by the en-
plOyerS, while a. Judge of the supreme
court makes the fifth. If either party is
dissatisfied with the decision an ap-
peal may be taken to the board of ar
bitratiOn, which consists of three mem
DerSt one chosen by the WOrkingmeu,
one chosen by the employer and the
third again q judge of the supreme
court The decision of the board Of
arbitration is final It must be obeyed.
HeaVy penalties are provided for viO-
lauon, 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.
1hey 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
a minimum The weaker party will
yield rather than risk the payment of
costs unless he has a good cause. But
the wOrkingmen in particular are de-
lighted with the system.
New Zealand is now very prosperous
compared to what it was a few years
ago This prosperity is attrfF91t ed to
the land tax and land policy Of the
government This is not the single tax.
but approaches il in principle The
1ahu tax IS not tax on land, but a
tax on land values. It ranges from
penny to the pound to threepence to the
pound, with an extra penny added for
aDSentees- The effect of this has been
TO reduce alien ownership European
landlords soon get tired Of paying the
neaNy tax They 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 settlers an opportunity to obtain
homes at reasonable figures Large
estates are rapidly breaking uD. In A
rev years they will cease to exist
shouId say IN this connection that actual
settlers rae permitted to have land to
the value of $500 exempt from taxa
non Besides this we have the grad
uated income tax. All incomes under
$500 are exempt; from $500 to e1 600
the tax Is ~ per cent; all over &1 900
pays per cent tax. All corporations
and absenteeS pay the full 5 per cent
without exemption. 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
settlers for S99 years. If the settler Is
deserving and he cannot lease the land
If he is not, the government will lend
him material to the value of S20 70
build a house; then it will allow him a
certain sum per acre for clearing the
landi II viii also provide him not more
than three days Of eight hours each per
week with work on roads or other pub
lie improvements, SO that he may sup
port himself and family until he can
raise crops. The government is reiTn-
bursed for all this by the increase in
land values due to increased poPula ton,
on which ii collects a tax, as I have al
ready said.
The government borrOws money in
Europe in large sums which II lends to
the farmers The government pays
per cent interest and charges the farm
eT per cent As matter of fact the
farmer pays per cent per annum, 1
per cent Of which goes into a sinking
fund TO cancel the principal. After pay
sng 6 per cent per year for % years, the
debt is eXtinzuished. This plan has
been an entire success 50 far as it has
been tried. Interest rates were former
1y very high.
The government owns the telegraph,
She telephones and the railroads in
New Zealand. One interesting feature
of the government ownership of rail-
ways is that in the country districts
where the settlers are some distance
from schools the railways carry the
children to and from school free of
charge It is interesting to note that
the railroads are beginning to pay well
since they came under government
control, although they were uuprofita-
BE under private ownership. The gov
ernment also manages the parcels de-
livery, or express business, as it is
called in America
Another very popular feature in
New Zealand is the post banks They
have proved immensely popular-so
popular that 1t has been found neces-
sary TO fix a limit upon the amount
which may be deposited in a postal
bank; otherwise they would crowd the
private banks out of existence. The
limit is G50O.
Women vote in New Zealand. We
nave very advanced laws on the sub
Ject OF temperance We have local Op-
non with the provision that the ques-
tlou must be submitted to the referen-
Qunn every three years. The sale of IL
quor can only be prohibited by three
hfths vote; on the other hand, even
single additional license cannot be
granted without a three-fifths vote. But
a reduction in the number Of saloons