The Wreck of the "Erthshire" or, The Economics of Coral Island

1899 [Hould, Richard Arthur (1839-1920) or Frederick M. King]. The Wreck of the “Erthshire;” or, The Economics of Coral Island. Auckland, New Zealand: Published by the National Single Tax League. Printed by Isaac Dunshea. The ATL copy has a note “To A.H. Turnbull, Compliments of the author” and F.M. King as the author in Turnbull’s handwriting. The New Zealand National Bibliography to the Year 1960. Ed. A.G. Bagnall (Wellington: A.R. Shearer, 1969), II: 585 attributes it to Hould as does an obituary of Hould in The Liberator (Auckland), no. 252, December 15, 1920, 1-2, a journal Hould edited. Cataloged as by Hould at ATL. King is the author of the “Preface” in his role as Honorary Secretary of the National Single Tax League. In the “Preface” he writes throughout as “we,” sounding very much like the author. Serialized in The Liberator (Auckland), no. 83 - 87 (December 19, 1906 - April 1907): 3-4, 3-4, 3-4, 3-4, 3-4. ATL

Brief single tax eutopia. A shipwreck strands two men on an isolated island; the first to arrive claims all the land and rents a part to the other in exchange for a daily supply of coconuts. Years later they are found and discover that the world had all accepted the single tax and peace and prosperity reign. The idea of a single tax on land originated with Henry George (1839-97). For Henry George's explanation of the single tax, see his Progress and Poverty. An Inquiry Into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and Of Increase of Want With Increase of Wealth. The Remedy. San Francisco, CA: W.M. Hinton, 1879. Fiftieth Anniversary Ed. New York: The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation, 1929.