Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-04-11
PROSPEROUS NEW ZEALAND.
Tagaries are Accomplished Facts In
That Colony.

What Our Wise Men Here Sheer at rs
vagaries are Accomplished Facts in
| That Colony.
Mr.. Henry d. Lloyd, who has re-
GENTLY returned from New Zealand
and is now writing book about it,
calls it the worlds experiment sta
tion'' in social science. The liberals
Of New Zealand, who have for several
years controlled the government, have
acted on the fundamental principles:
First, that all legislation should not
be in the interest of any class as
against the whole: and, second, that
large amounts of property in few
hands are contrary to the public in
terest. They have made it definite
purpose that there should be no mil
lionaires and no paupers in the coun-
try. And they have succeeded so we'll
that the movement toward concertra-
ton of wealth, which was in full
swing some years ago, has ceased to
exist as n factor in national life, and
the tide has been turned toward
wealth diffusion and the enrichment
of the entire community. The means
by which this remarkable evolution
has been accomplished is as follows:
About 20 years ago large part of
the public lands were withdrawn
from sale and reserved for perpetual
lease by the state on rentals to be
readjusted every 81 years on the value
of the land, exclusive of improvements
made by the tenants.
1t was enacted that no one should
buy or lease public land unless he
were prepared to settle on the land
and cultivate it.
No one purchaser, person or COM
pany is allowed to acquire more than
800 acres, or what will make 800 acres
with his prior possessions.
To stop land speculation by taking
the profit all out of it, the law nine
iyears ago adopted John Stuart Mills
plan of taking from land holders, in
the form of taxes, all future increase
of land values (Which of course do not
include improvements made by
tenants).
To break up large estates already
in existence two measures were
adopted:
\ special tax was put on large hold
ings. The ordinary land tax is one
penny in the pound-two cents on
S4.s5. The graduated tax begins at
6 5000 at I'D in the pound, and rises
by eighths of penny till it is two
pence in the pound for an owner
whose land has an unimproved value
of E21O,0OO or more, so that the total
land tax on holding of e21O,OOO OF
more would be three pence in the
pound, or three times the ordinary
tax for holdings below 6 5000.
Large estates were made liable tt
resumption by the state, on applica
ton of persons ready to lease the
land from the government at rental:
amounting to five per cent. on the
price at which it should be assessed
by the compensation court. The state
issues bonds at 31a per cent. and the
five per cent. rentals pay off the in
terest and the principal. Some 30 es
tates have been resumed under the
law. One of the largest recently
taken was worth S1.5O0, 900 and is now
divided among resident farmers, who
with their families. number about
1000 people.
\ special absentee tax was also Ell
acted to make it unpleasant for for
eigners, or persons living in for
eign countries to hold New Zealant
lands. This tax amounts to an addi
ton of 20 per cent. upon the gradu
ated tax levied as above stated, ant
/ is applied wherever the owner ha!
, not resided in New Zealand for thre,
jyears.
| To prevent mortgage slavery thu
government makes loans to farmer!
on easy terms. as Gladstone did il
{ Ireland Millions of dollars have beer
borrowed by the farmers to pay c.
5 pre-eXisting private mortgages callins
for interest higher than that required
! by the government.
, Old age pensions were established il
: 1898. All persons over 65 years OH
S long resident in the country and q
2 good character are entitled to pen
] sion of 500 a year if they need it.
n State life insurance has been in op
$ Grafton since 1869. The insurance j
2 safe and cheap. 1t is on the mutua
e plan, all profits being divided anon:
q | the assessed.
National ownership and operation
D of the railroads has been in full swim:
, in New Zealand for 90 years. Their
q are no rebates, determinations or ia
: vors to persons with pull" The gov
ernment of the day can neither pro
: cure the appointment nor the dis
: missal of railway employe of an.
grade. The whole body of employe
is under civil service regulations
which are thoroughly enforced. Their
u has consequently been no troubl
e with patronage. New Zealand pay
I no dividends on watered stock and n
:. excessive interest on bonds. She ha
r no railroad millionaires or lobbie:
e The profits go to the public treasury
t and the roads are run to serve tn
d people. The roads have been built an
d Equipped for $4,000 mile, though
y is mountainous country, and wage
+ and materials are both very higf
It Work on the railways is carried on b
n cooperative groups of workmen, VIII
: take a section together and divide tn
n contract payments (Which are liberal
: equally among the members of th
group.
The telegraph and the telephon