THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER, 20, 1888.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 222, 20 September 1888, Page 4

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER, 20, 1888.

That the tlorie Government are; ac^ lively interesting themselves in the pro^ motion of emigration may be gathered Irom the efforts' which they are making through .trig re^eMtiy-estatjUihed Emi* giaiits' It formation Offioe to bring thecolonies unfler the notice of the people throughout :the United Kingdom. It seems a somewhat curious • thing for

the Government of 'any/ nation to enpoiir^ge the most enterprisirjg of its people to forsake the country, but the Conservative Administration who now preside over the iffairs of Great Britain are not unaware ofihe safety-valve which emigration has afibrded for the escape of many elements that may prove troublesome to those who are interested in maintaining the existing social conditions of the Home country, and V( they -have perhaps at last been forced to admit that. Cobden's dream of Britain as the universal purveyor of the natipns, is less likely to be realised now than ever, and that new outlets for the-trade formerly carried on with ioreign markets, which are beihgtclbsed by hostile tariffs^ can only be found by building up ; the colonies-rthat; in these1 lands .lie the true sources .of England's wealth, strength, arid maritime: supremacy.

Emigration is V the old remedy favoured by Irish land-owners for the discontent in, that country, ■ but though the population has been' decreased by three millions. in forty years, Ireland is less contented and less prosperous than ever she was, although now in a better way to attain prosperity because backei by the strength of her sons who nave succeeded in happier; lands. ! Again,/ the landowners found Imperial support in ejecting the croftersi from their holdings arid driving them abroad, A vote of was authorised from the public taxes for .this; not very laudable -purpose; The impropriety of applying the revenues to such purposes appears, however, obvious even to a Ministry Who have not shown themselves very scrupulous about assisting landlords who find that they can get higher rentals by clearing off the (men from their estates;1 and letting the land for grouse-shooting, short of money yptes, which may proyoke the criticism of; the: Radicals in Parliament, they are willing enough! to lend a helping hand to' the cause of .emigration. , » ' ," f X.:'' ;; : '.'■'.' ln-aninterview between ativfe of this journ^l-and Mr ; Paton,-who is connected'with the' Imperial Emigratien- Bureau^ Ihatgehtleniari gavesorne interesting . informatipn as to the methods which the Bureau employs for the purpose of promoting emigratipn. These seem to be of a. very efficient character^-tlie disserninatiori '?'■■:,ol inforrnatioa about the colonies in a popular form being; bound to>set fermenting In the minds of many persons the idea of bettering their condition abroad. The Government -have also shown a laudable to make the information: which fthey furhisjv to'applicants ;<s£,'; thpfeughly reliable character, by "despiicbiog officers of the Oapartraent at sbort interyals, to the several colonies to make inquiries on the spot. Mr Paton appeals think that there is no

danger of.-the colonies being afflicted with pauper emigration^ but we do; not share his confidence upon this subject,* more especially when he reminds us tnat under the new Local Goyerninent Act the promotion of emigration will be one of the functions of the counties. The:4empta ; tion to clear the poprjhouses by shipping the inmates abroad is Very strong, and the United States and some of the colonies have, as MriPaton observes, passed laws to protect themselves against such practices. A similar' law applicable both to ■paupers and foreign l: criminals oiightTto be placed upon the I New Zealand Statute-book. It is satisfactory to firidj from the remarks made to our reporter by j Mr Paton, that' he has formed a very i fair judgment of the condition of this j colony with respect to immigration. That the .branches of Industry vwhicli afford employment for mechanics are overstocked is made only too apparent by the steady oulflow of labour drawn from such callings by every steamer hound: for Australia. But Mr Paton is right in esteeming it rank folly to suppose that a country of such varied resources and so thinly peopled has ho opening for additiorial population. Our great want is extended settlement of the land and increased production-^the rapid development of our natural resources, &nd the crea- 1 tiori of new industries. That these results .will follow upon thp depression in the general labour market is what we may hopey especially if improved prices of our products in the English market make the efforts to develop bur export trade remunerative. No one coming straight from droughtstricken Australia to New Zealand could fail to perceive that in everything pertaining to agricultural prosperity/ this colony must outstrip and under-sell-all the other colonies; of Australasia. -And if Mr Paton's observationsvlead him to recommend New; Zealand .-as/a suitable field for the agficalturists who are being driven out of England, he will neither do them nor us an ill service.