The Clutha Leader. THURSDAY AUGUST 6, 1874.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 5, 6 August 1874, Page 2

The Clutha Leader. THURSDA Y AUG UST 6, 1874.

In addressing- ourselves in last issue to the subject of the maladministration of the Colonial Immigration Policy, we took occasion to point out the responsibility which attached to the. legislature in coneetion with the matter. This we saw rested mainly in their voting' the funds requisite for carrying- on very extensive public works and immigration whilst they neglected to satisfy themselves as to the stability of the foundation upon which the. success of the whole rested,' viz., a well-devised and thoroughly efficient sehem© of inunigra-l tion. This the Premier had promised to lay on the table for the consideration of honorable memoers before the close of the Session, but having got the supplies voted, the mr scents were slaughtered, and the Assembly .was' suddenly prorogued without' any immigration scheme whatever having been devised. The whole burden and responsibility of the great schemes having thus been left upon the shoulders of the Government, it would reasonably have been expected that Ministers would at once have met, that their meetings would have been long and anxious ones, and that the immigration scheme would have been the first to receive attention, and be placed upon a satisfactory footing. But what was the case ? Had a shell fallen into the Executive Council Chamber it would scarcely have been possible for Ministers more quickly to disperse. No sooner was the Assembly prorogued than the celebrated series of "Royal progresses" commenced, and which were continued up to within a short period of the following Session of Parliament. During the whole of this time it is doubtful whether they ever met, and it is at least certain that if they did meet they either failed or neglected to frame any scheme for the practical administration of the immigration policy which had been adopted. We were not then and are not now surprised at their fail-, ure in this matter ; indeed, considering the ignorance and inexperience of Ministers in connection with the routine of immigration business, we should have been surprised had it been otherwise. But this we were entitled to expect — that feeling their incompetence for the task they had undertaken, they would have sought the advice and assistance of some gentlemen of ability and experience in immigration matters, either in Great Britain or the Colony, if such could be found. In any petty question of engineering, law, „c, such isthe course pursued, and such a course ought to have been adopted with reference to the question of immigration. They repeatedly acknowledged that upon it entirely depended the success of the " noble policy of colonisation." Upon it depended the future' prosperity or ruin of the Colony, and yet the matter is treated as one deserving of only the very least modicum of consideration, and capable of being dealt with* by those having no knowledge upon the subject. Instead of calling in the aid of the experienced in the carrying out of the scheme, they commiiPW- whole to the care of the Ageri£-General~an able, polititian, a gentleman whose honesty and integrity none would question; 'but-, . who^rom his inexperience, his haughty ' supercilious disposition,' and unapproachable demeanor, was altogether

disqualified for successfully carrying' on the business of an Immigration Agent. Not only was a great mistake committed in the appointment made, but node-: finite scheme or instructions were placed in his hands to carry out. . Instructions were indeed sent from time to time, by various Ministers, from -any quarter of the Colony where they might happen to be journeying at the time, but as a rule these were contradictory and impracticable, and only led to heartburnings and unseemly recriminations between Ministers and the Agent-General. Under these circumstances it need not j be wondered at that the business of the | Agency got into confusion, and for a time progressed only at a very slow rate. Such was .the state of. matters that throughout Great Britain several agents were to be found offering passages to the same Provinces upon different terms, and the whole proceedings were so ir- I regular that intending immigrants of the intelligent and industrious class got confused and suspicious, and instead of the Agency inaugurating a stream of immigration to our shores oi: the desired class, it simply had the effect of playing into the hands of those who wished to turn their attention to America, Canada, &c. From the effects of these blunders we have not yet recovered, and are not likely to do for some time to come. We have no wish to seek to shield Dr Featherstone from any part of the blame which j attaches to him in connection with the conduct of our immigration business j i but we do say that the greater blame rests at the door of the Government I here, which has both disappointed the country and compelled him to adopt a course of action which has resulted in the present very unfortunate state of matters. We do for a moment say that their mistakes have been intentional. We believe the greatest wish of the Premier is to see his policy successfully carried out, but it must be acknowledged on all hands that while it is great in conception, he is a child in administration. His peremptory instructions to send 20,000 immigrants within a given time were no doubt well meant, but any one else could have foreseen that only a certain class could thus be secured, and tliat, too, the very class we are now receiving. The steady, prudent, hardworking, industrious portion of the community hang' not so loosely upon society that they can be. secured by the twenties of thousands at a day|s notice. These required to be fully informed j they must have time to consider and advise before they determine to leave their native land. Another class, however, are always prepared, nay anxious to leave the scenes of their past lives, and should passages be furnished them free of charge, their destination is a matter of the purest indifference. These will embark at once for this or any other colony — they have no preference, and-tho inßtruotions issued by the Government here, has opened a door for them for which they have often longed. They have now got to a distant land, and it is to be regretted that with a change of scene, so few of them manifest an intention to change the mode of life they had formerly led. Thus as matters at present stand, the conduct of immigration to this Colony is most unsatisfactory to the country, and *for this tlie Government is in a great me asure to blame.