The labor world., 1899-05-20
IN OR Il few years much interest
has attached 10 New Zealand
us Il country where genera

II has attached 10 New Zealand
us Il country where general
prosperity has prevailed. unatfcct-
ed bv he panic>, business dcpres-
sions and labor listresscs that
have everywhere else hecn loudly and
bitterly complained OF. Consequently
| the lectures Of Hon. Hugh H. LusE.
| cN-member Of the New Zealand par
/ lament amt 80 years Il resident of that
country. now being delivered in the
United States. are welcomed by large
audiences Of thoughtful people. Ac-
cording 10 Mr. LuSk. The white popu-
]uiion Of New Zealand has in 80 years
increased from 24O0O to 100000 on
two islands from 1GD to 240 miles
wide. extending 900 miles north and
south. mostly in latitude SO to AZ de-
grers south of the equator. and 1900
miles southeast Of Australia. Owing
to comparatively little difference in
climate between the northern and
| southern eNtremitirs. and to the fact
that the country is settled almost en-
1irely by British people, there is a pc
culiar homogenrity in the character
of the population. and hence there has
| been little difficulty since the estab-
lishment of Il constitutional govern
ment. in 1852, in adopting such re-
forms as looked to the general vel
fare: especially as said government
leaves the people practically free in
all internal affairs.
New Zealand came under the Bris-
ish government in 1912, by consent of
the native chiefs. who, from the repre-
scntations of the Christian mission
aries, preferred British to French
rule. The condition was that their
lands should rot be taken from them
without compensation. So the Brit
ish government bought their lands,
and their rights have since been gen
orally respected though New Zealand's
history is not entirely free from race
conflicts.
In 1870. to prevent land from being
further monopolized by wealthy cap
italists. the New Zealand parliament
enacted law whereby not more than
32O acres could be sold by a land Off
Ger to any individual. But this did
not prevent one individual from buy
| ing Of another. So it was more re-
Gently decided that the best way to
check land monopoly was to put a
graduated tax upon the value OF all
lands. exclusive of Improvements. If
ones land was worth but $500 and less
than $1,000, he should pay a certain
rate: if worth more than $1,000 and
less than $4,000 he should pay high
er rate, and so on. The result was
that such a man as ''Ready Money!
Robinson, who had acquired a hun
dred thousand acres. had to relinquish
ninety-1ine thousand, keeping but one
! thousand to descend to his children.
! SO New Zealand is not affected seri-
| ously with this chief of monopolies,
and with her land legislation and
other reforms she enjoys more
equally distributed prosperity than
any other country in the world.
! The land-value tax is the chief
source of income for the New Zealand
government, but there is also grad
| uated income tax. This is sometimes
evaded because out Of sight, and be-
cause people in New Zealand will lie
to save money, just as they do in
America. There are also custom du-
ties, but these are only to help pay off
the Maori war debt of 1863 to 1868,
after which they will be abolished.
The government made the public
roads to facilitate transportation and
tiuut, anu tlltl IOl tllN .>hillN 1S"9oii ~
! built the railroads. These it owns
| and operates under the management
of three railroad commissioners, and
| has 2,4OO miles Of track. There is no
| obi ect in the management taking
more money than needed for the run
| min" expenses: and as travel and
! freight business increases with the de-
,elopment Of the country. the expense
to the people decreases. They pay
less now as travellers and shippers
than the americans do.
It's employment Of railroad labor
brought it face 10 face with the labor
problem. Now eight hours consti-
tutes the legal day. and every Satur-
| day afternoon is legal holiday. To
settle wage disputes between employ
er and employees, there is a court of
compulsory arbitration, each party ap-
pointing two arDitrators and parlia-