JUNE 8,: 1905
fo- Nebraska. Indopcndcntt
PAGE 13
NEW ZEALAND REFORMS
Much Progress Made in Direct Legislation, Methods
of Taxation and 'Local Self- -
Government
The following letter from a New
Zealand contributor has a particular
interest at this time:
Athenree, New Zealand, May 1.
To the Editor of The Independent:
Your letter of March 17 (my thirty
fourth birthday) received. I hardly
know what reform papers there are
- in New Zealand. Almost the whole
press is in opposition and. the liberal
papers are almost all tratorous to re
form. The single-taxers have a capital
four page monthly, The Liberator, in
Auckland, and the prohibitionists sev
eral small local papers, but these are
for a special object, and have a very
Please remember we have only 105,
000 square miles and under 900,000
population from Manikiki near the
Equator to Campbell Island, near An-
arctica.v The .original five colonies of
Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, Hawke
Bay and Auckland are yet as mutually
hostile, as, say Nebraska and New Jer
sey,' and under twenty years ago the
misgovernment had led to a general
collapse, business ruin and exodus of
population, v We are fortunate in pos
sessing as" premier" the Rt. Hon. R. J.
Seddon, a man with complete control
over parliament and most keen sense
of public feeling. His personal control
since 1893 over fourgeneral elections,
makes his tact a rough but efficient
substitute for direct legislation. But
I deprecate any despotism. .
Direct Legislation
: The direct legislation movement in
New Zealand divides .roughly into two
parts separated about 1893, when
"Pat" O'Regan, the ablest man in New
Zealand politics, entered parliament
Previously, its use was the old Eng
ish and American form of requiring a
poll of electors to pass a municipal
debt, in some cases to give or amend a
franchise, or to alter boundaries, Uc,
by petition.' No recognition of popu
lar sovereignty ,was admitted or
thought of. ''V .
About 1893 the "no license" party
took from us an lnter-party unit,
Previously liquor licenses had been
issued for each year by a local com
mittee elected in small areas by rate
payers (occupiers of real property).
Licenses had always been renewed,
but a "no license" committee was
elected at Syderham near Christ
church (our Boston) which refused all
of about a dozen licenses on only tem
perance rounds. A great row in and
out of parliament ensued. Finally
licensing districts were altered to
equal the electorates (62 in number)
which are readjusted after each five
year census to equal numbers with
a. 28 per cent allowance for rural
areas, and 10 per cent variation al
lowed. This sounds complex, but is
a compromise and works well. At each
general election the adult voters
(British subjects twelve months in
the colony and three In the electo
rate) decide in each distrrict sepa
rately the license question also.
There are three issues: Shall li
censes continue; or be reduced; or
abolished?. You can vote for any,
or reduction and no license. Contin
uance or reduction carry by bare ma
jority, no, license only by. three-fifths
of valid votes cast. Reduction forces
the licensing committee, elected three
months later by adults (five and magis
trate of district as chairman), to re
duce one-tenth to one-fourth of the
licenses, not less than one if only one,
beginning with those with any-" police
complaints. - " ' :
Referendum Works Well
Seddon proposed last year, but
failed, to take a further referendum
on (1) nationalization of the liquor
trade, as : in Carolina; (2) to make
possession of use of iquor illegal in
no license areas.
There is some friction in the con
test of a most powerful and wealthy
trust and a growing majority of the
voters, -but the referendum system
vorks easier than any other could
and np one disputes the decisions till
next time. : A large share of the no
license vote is from anti-brewers'
trust voters, who desire a department
of state to replace the trust when
smashed ' " m
-In 1902, twenty-four districts gave
a bare majority -for no license, and
six others the three-fifths .. majority,
but in two this was upset for legal
points, since erased by parliament.
There is "now, from all motives, a 3,000
majority to "bust the trust" and a
much larger , vote is expected in No
vember next.' .' ' '
Referendum an Agent of Peace
The referendum lias proved an
agent of peace in a most difficult task,
the suppression of a liquor trade with
the approval of the voters and the
public. We have no colonial direct
legislation law so far. O'Regan, beat
en several times with referendum
bills, got one read the sejeond time
about 1897 by sheer mental force
Government then took it up, but has
so far failed to pass it through the
upper house. They are not keen on it
and as it has no initiative clause it
is of little value. Seddon says he fa
vors initiative, so we will see what
comes on this session. O'Regan is
now not in parliament; H. G. Ell, M.
H.. R. of Christchurch is ablest and
best worker for direct legislation,
though the whole single tax group is
a unit for direct legislation and effec
tive voting, another of O'Regan's
measures and now championed by
Geo. Fowlds, M. H. R., Grey Lynn,
the president of the National Single
Tax League and convener of the inter
party land and tariff reform group in
parliament, which has a membership
of about thirty.
This widening of the single tax
sympathies to a position almost ex
actly that of The Independent is, in
my opinion, the most valuable part
of O'Regan's record. Of course, the
benefit of any purification of govern
ment inheres in higher land values,
and increased robbery of the disin
herited, but all forms of roguery are
one, and injure one, you weaken all,
for the attack on the next.
Municipal Legislation
It is In municipal legislation; that
direct legislation has made its great
hit with us. Many county (95) or
Borough (105) or for purely local ob
jects, any road or town district (sub
divisions of certain larger counties,
about 300) on initiative may-be . put
in to the local body by fifteen to
PERSONAL
DENVER MUDInstantaneous cure for tl
Inflammation; Instant relief In pneumonia
bronchitis, pleorley. Inflamed brraiti, tumors
chronic ulcer, tonsilitis, piles (external), boUs
erysipelas, poisoned wounds, rheumatism .fel
ons, sprains, burns, frost bites; 50c boxes; 36c. :
NER-VO-INE Those suflerine from weak
nesses that will sap pleasures ot life should take
Ner-vo-ine. One box will work wonders. Has
more rejurenatlng and vitalizing power than
any medicine in the world, fceutby mall, large
box 1,3 lor 2.50. " "r-
IP YOU CAN'T SLEEP take Trilby Sleeping
Eowders, absolutely harmless, easy to take; no
ad results. Four sleeps for 25c.
TRILBY had no corns. She removed them
with a Trilby Leaflet; absolntecure; 10c by mail.
, MUGS' ECZEMA CURE, 50c; guaranteed to do
the work; will tell you many It has cured.
MGGS' GUARANTEED PILE CURE, the rem
edy that cured Mr. liemrold; 50c, salve or sup
pository. IF YOU ARE TOO FAT take Dr. Pasteur'a
obesity treatment. Costs SI per month. Re
duces you three to five pounds per week.
LADIE.? Dr. La Rue's Balloon Spray gyrlnge
Is the world's best. Cut to fl.W. One box of
vaginal antiseptic tablets tree.
LADIES Are you aware that In France wo
men use a monthly regulator more than the
women of all other nations combined? Dr. La
Rue's French regulator is used everywhere;
thoroughly reliable; absolutely safe; better than
Pennyroyal or Tansy. Price 1; 8 for2.50. ,
RIGGS THE DRUG CUTTER
1321 O St.
Lincoln, Neb.
The housekeeper who has
one of our new Elevated Oven
Gas Ranges. Cooking with
gas is "the easy way." The
modern gas range makes ; it
easier than ever. Come into
our office any time and we will
gladly show you.
j( ?
Enthusiasts call this the
"back-saver" and uf uel saver."
It's the Cheapest way.
It s the Quickest way.
It's the Best way.
Lincoln Gas & Electric Light
Company
Open Evenings.
Auto. 2575. Bell 75.
To get the Milk in the Reform Cocoanut
"t. OMo LiMi Bell MC,
50 cts. a year 25 cts. balance of 1905
R. H. REEMELIN, Editor,
Ho. 36 W. Eighth St., Cutciitnani, a
lH'ninsM!
OV14T JWi..
m ikiiufeJiiiiisiaaw:
' I ju 1 1 u o ; I ' 1 il : I - .i : k
FRUIT GROWERS' TRIP
Special Excursion to the Eat Texat
Fruit Country June 20th
Prominent Horticulturists Going
June 20th, the Cotton Belt Route
will run a special train excursion of
fruit and truck growers to and through
the wonderful East Texas fruit and
truck country. The round trip freni
St. Louis will consume about a week
The object will be to study condition?
of fruit and truck growing in the East
Texas country at the height of tH
harvest season when they are pick
ing, crating and shipping peache3,
pdums, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. The
big orchards will be visited and every
opportunity given to see results.
Many big growers, officers of state
Horticultural Societies, experimeat
station experts, editors of farm and
fruit papers from northern states will
be with us. A cordial Invitation has
been extended northern growers by
the Texas Fruit and Vegetable Grow
ers' Association to visit Texas and atv
tend their state meeting June 23d.
Extremely low round-trip rate, special
train for the party run on fast sched
ule only one night on the road.
The chance of a lifetime to see the
great East Texas country to best ad
vantage and at a trifling expense. .
Write for copy of fruit booklet, iti
nerary and cost of trip and full par
ticul&rs
E. W. La BEAU ME, G. P. and T. A.,
Cotton Beit Route, St. Louis, Mo.
Office Phone
517
Residence Phon
497
Dr. J. M. Birkncr
Physician and Surgeon
929 O 8t : : : : : Lincoln, Nefc
Captain Commanding Hospital Corp
Nebraska
Would You Bettir Your Condition?
10
We have an article, that sell3 itself.
Agents make $5 per day. Others are,
why not you? Write today for full
particulars. Send two two-cent stamp?
to WESTERN FLY-GUARD CO.,
30 Burr Blk., Lincoln. Neb.
