Another Twitting.

There was another point on which single-taxers were constantly twitted; that was that they would put the taxation of the country only upon the land-owners. No, they would not. Then, it was asked, "What would single-taxers do, it the whole thing was to be paid by the land-owners; what else could be meant?" Single taxers maintained that every individual in the community does, and would, contribute to the ground rent. They cannot tell whether they do so in exactly equal amounts. But they knew quite well every individual would contribute. He (Mr. Withy) asked his hearers to look at this point. If they went to the Custom-house, they would find the only people who paid Customs duties there were the whole-sale importers. Many of his hearers, for intance, would not go to the (Custom-house pay duty once in five years. The wholesale importer went there and paid the whole of the import duties. But they all knew at the same time, indirectly, all had to pay. The wholesale importer charged the duty to the retailer, who in his turn put it on his customer. It was not possible for any individual citizen to get off his contribution. Neither was it possible for him to get off his contribution to ground rent. Suppose that on Monday morning a vessel came to Auckland with 1000 emigrants. Immediately they landed they would want food, lodging, and conveniences of every kind. They would pace up and down the streets, and go into one shop after another. Tradesmen would begin to page 12 say things were bettering. Of course, said Mr, Withy, they would be a lot better if a thousand people came. The result of that improvement would be, that every shop-keeper whose business would be improved would be prepared to give a higher rent rather than leave his premises. Vacant houses would be taken up; the agents would say, "We are doing a lot of business," and they would begin immediately to raise the ground rent. Now, if that was the effect with 1000 people coming in, a thousandth part of that effect must be made up by every man and woman. In one way or another every man and woman, every member of the community, contributed. They did it now, and they would continue to contribute under the single tax regime. It did not matter in the least who actually paid down the cash even as it did not matter who paid at the Custom-house; every member of the community had to pay his share.