The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, The Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1885.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 247, 24 October 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, The Morning News, and Echo.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1885.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For tho future in tho distance, And tho good that we can do,

In the course of his speech at the Christchurch banquet on Wednesday night, Sir Julius Vogel said there were three great questions to engage the attention of the Government in the future—the extension of the railway system of the colony, the encouragement of local industries, and the extension of settlement. The first of these general aims is doubtless the cloak under which the East and West Coast Railway scheme will be re-introduced. The encouragement'of local industries is a matter which Sir Julius Vogel has very much at heart, and in which, if properly pursued, he will havo the hearty support of the public. The third and greatest of the " three great questions" referred to by the Colonial Treasurer, the extension of settlement, is one fraught with peculiar difficulties, but its importance warrants the most careful attention being bestowed upon it by the heads of the Government. The resumption of assisted immigration is a necessary step towards the encouragement of settlement; but a far more essential one is the supp'ying of proper conditions for settlement. This should be considered of greater urgency than the mere conveying of immigrants to our shores. It is worse than useless to help small capitalist agricultutists to come to New Zealand, if after arrival they are doomed to disappointment, either through the laxity of the Crown Lands Department, the prohibitive railway tariff, the impassable condition of the country ro-ids, the starvation rates ruling for produce, and other causes only 100 familiar to country settlers. If the Government would set their house in order with respect to these causes of complaint, they would find that the magnificent natural advantages of the colony would very quickly attract the right class of immigrants, without any Government aid or invitation. Very appropriately, the portfolios of Lands and Immigration are held by one Minister—Hon. Mr Ballanco—who is shonly expected to visit this part of the colony. We hope that during his visit he may be able to gather from the farmers of Auckland a few hints as to necessary reforms in the direction of facilitating the acquisition and working of land. So far, the Minister has shown good judgment in the regulations he has framed for the immigration of farmers possessed of small capital. These regulations aro as follow : —

Tho Agent-General will provide passages for a linutod numbor of persons who may bo desirous of taking up land in Now Zealand at tho samo rates as nro roquirod to bo paid by porsons nominating thoir frionds in thocolony, namely, £10 for each adult, and £5 for each child between tho ages of ono and twolvo years. Before passages will bo provided, however, each head of a family must prove to the satisfaction of tho AgontGonoral that ho is possessed of £100 in cash, and that ho is also possessoJ of cash equal to tho sum of £50 for oach member of his family ovor 12 years of ago. Porsons desirous of doing so can arrango to como out in the eecond-class on tho abovo torms by an additional paymont equal to the difference between tho cost of steorage and second-class passages.

The above, it will be seen, is not " nominated " immigration, and marks a decided advance from the policy formerly pursued. The " nominated" system is, however, again introduced, with the restricting proviso that, as a rule, only agricultural labourers and female domestics will be accepted. Tradesmen and mechanics, being already too numorous in the colony, will only have passages granted in very exceptional circumstances. The Immigration Officers will give preference first of all to members of separated families, then to relatives of colonists, single women, and friends not included in these classes. The rate of passage-money for persons nominated on these terms wiil be the same as in the case of agriculturists, and payment must be made in the colony at the time of nomim lion. These charges embrace depot expenses and complete outfit for the voyage, and are sufficiently liberal, we should think, to attract a large number of people to this colony. They cannot, of course, compete with the rates to America, but the superiority of our soil and climate more than balance the difference. With a proper regard, to the conditions of settlement as promised by Government, the North Island especially would make wonderful progress in settlement, and would prove capable of supporting in competence and comfort a large rural population.