The Emigration Agent. To the Editor of the Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 26, 14 October 1843, Page 3

The Emigration Agent. To the Editor of the Southern Cross.

Sib, — A complaint was brought before tho Police Magistrate by the Acting Emigration Agent, on behalf of a Seedling-Ser-vant, against a respectable resident in tho suburbs of this Town, for alledged ill treatment. — From tho evidence adduced it appears that tho behaviour of the lad towards his Master had boon froi'n the commencement of his contract of the most insolent and aggravating nature, and that insolence was the Reading feature of his character.— -Mr. Mathew was more than usually happy in tho summing up of this case, —ho reminded young Parkhurst (information no doubt in- j tended for the officious Emigration Agent) that a Master had a right tP inflict certain ' corpora^ punishment upon beings of his order, that the complaint was perfectly frivolous, and that imprjsonmont would follow any further such groundless charges. Mr. Rough it would appear had brought forward this case upon the bare statement of the misconducted lad ; but this mode of proceeding is highly improper. Mr.. Rough should himself take tho troublo of inquiring into the merits of cases of this kind before he inconveniences the residents by obliging them to leave their useful occupations to answer before a Police Court any charges which a set of you% convict brats may feel disposed to prefer against them- This is, any how, one of the duties for which Mr. Rough receives from tho Public a salary of £300 per annum. When the particulars of tho foregoing case were told me, they recalled to my memory

another act of Mr. Rough's in which I was myself concerned, equally unjustifiable as tho last, and equally proceeding from his well-known love of patronizing and being patronized. It is this : Upon -the arrival of tho last Emigrant Vessel in our harbour, accompanied by a large number of other gentlemen, I went ou board for the purpose of engaging a servant. It being the old Sydney custom on similar occasions, that the first come should be first served* we were already flattering ourselves that our prompt movement would securo us tho requisites sought for. There were, I suppose, between ten and twenty individuals on board who might have answered the situations we were about to offer, but will you believe it, Mr. Editor, the active acting Emigration Agent had positively disposed of them all an hour or perhaps more before the ship had dropped anchor, and for fear they should go to any but those whom he Iiad directed, (Messrs. Fitzgerald, Shortland, Cooper & Co.,) he affected to put upon their disembarkation some restraint, which they did not of course understand, but which they feared to infringe. This you will see is a flagrant injus-; tice to the Public, and a positive' cruelty practised upon, tho Emigrants. Mr. Rough totally mistakes his position. The' Emigrants haye every claim upon him, he none upon them, nor has he more right to controul their actions after their arrival in this harbour than I haye to contrbul his, and he should not therefore assume to himself any such. — Indeed, if the Publie wou|d allow irregularities of this kind to pass unnoticed, Mr. Shortland ought with propriety to ask us-7-"Quid Domini faciaut, audent cum talia fures ?" but that, like ourselves, he says he has fprgqtten aU his Greek. Hp^rever, a? I haye no wish to fall out with Mr. Rough, I would merely remind him that the public nope he will "mend his life and sin 40 more," that he will reform his system of Emigration Agency, and attend more to their interests than the domestic conveniences of Mr. Fitzgerald and clan. Nemo. Auckland, 9th October, 1843. [Our columns are at all times open to tho complaints and grievances of the Public. — In the case of the Seedling, we can imagine Mr. Rough to have been actuated by a kindly feeling towards him, seeing that they are all placed under his charge. But when the complaiivt is made against a respectable person, we agree with our intelligent correspondent that a previous inquiry should be made, so as to prevent tho disagreeable necessity of dragging gentlemen before Police Courts for no purpose — The Emigrant case js not peculiar to Mr. Rough. He only acteU on tho general principles by which all the departments are conducted. One plan for the public, and another for favoiirite3. He doubtless endeavours to fQllow tho example of tho "Great High Lord," and "we know his Mightiness acts in the manner of which our correspondent complains. — Ed.]