THE BAY OF PLENTY TIMES. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1874.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 172, 29 April 1874, Page 2

THE BAY OF PLENTY TIMES.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1874.

** The spirit of the times shall teach me speed,” KING JOHN, ACT IV.

“ A GREAT LOCK-OUT OF EASTERN Counties* labourers. This is an item of news appearing amongst late English cablegrams: an item which should, in our opinion, command the serious and immediate attention of tho Immigration Commissioner for New Zealand the Honorable Julius Yogel. A clever politician should embrace every opportunity afforded him, and hero is "one, which, if properly taken advantage of, might lead to the emigration into this colony of some of the very cream of English farm workmen. The Eastern Counties 5 labourers may, indeed, be culled ** sons of the soil/ 5

working, as is the rule, on the same farm that their ancestors have helped to cultivate—in semi-serfdom, and existing, not living, upon the small wage of 9s per week. In the march of progress, who can wonder'that these people are stirred up to rise with the times ? As skilled agriculturists they are decidedly the best in the British dominions, standing very high in the opinion of the public inCanada, United States of America, and in the Australian colonies. Mention two of our best and rising men among the military settlers of Tauranga, and you will hod they are from Suffolk. The Eastern Counties’ labourers are not suitable for rough-riding on runs and that kind ofwork, but their peeuliarqualifications well tit them for our agricultural districs. Brought up in the very best school of high-class farming, they are acquainted with all its routine. They are unequalled as managers of horses, treating them with Arab fondness. Abuse a teamster’s horses in Suffolk and you will no more be forgiven than if you run down the ship of an “ old salt.” As mowers, Eastern Counties’ labourers cannot be surpassed. For the benefit of all in this colony, we venture to suggest to Mr Vogel the desirability of sending a telegram to the Agent-General at home, instructing him to employ some one like that patriot, Joseph Arch, to house cheaply in the meantime numbers of these worthy fellows, with their hardworking wives and families, until they can be shipped to this “ new land of ours.” We expend a great deal of sympathy on our poor Maoris (?) in this colony, who can kill their ten bullocks and no end of pigs at a land arbitration of their own (Horohoro, to wit) ; but, while enjoying the ease and freedom of colonial life, and faring sumptuously every day, we are all too apt to forget such pictures as these : English labourers “ locked out i” men who have all their life-time subsisted, with their families, on wages not sufficient to give them a taste of meat once a week ; honest to the backbone, yet crippled in spirit by drudgery and hard times, I*et such men come to New Zealand, we say; they would improve the tone of our skilled farmers, and in a very short time be in a position to farm their own lands. How much better such people than the Scandinavians I hope that Mr Vogel will adopt our suggestion, and not lose this chance of benefiting the agricultural interests of the colony at large.

We have very great pleasure in recording the fact that Mr George Yesey Stewart, Emigration Agent, has selected and secured from Government the Katikati block for the location of special emigrants from the orth of Ireland- Mr Stewart will leave Auckland on the 9th proximo by the mail steamer, via California* for Europe, to carry out, with as little delay as possible, the great and responsible undertaking committed to his charge. Mr Warbrick has received instructions from Mr Stewart to act as his agent in the negotiations for all the native reserves within the block.

We are Indebted to Major Robert*, District Census Enumerator, for the following returns in the several sub-districts of Tauranga, Maketu, and Opotiki; Males ... ... 836 Females,,. ... v., 001 1,437