WAIKATO IMMIGRANTS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2712, 27 March 1866, Page 5

WAIKATO IMMIGRANTS.

The Provincial Government, having no funds at its disposal to continue the employment of the Waikato immigrants, located on their farm sections at Waiuku, Maioro, Mauku, Waipipi, and elsewhere in the neighbourhood, resolved upon striking them off Government work, and leaving them free to seek employment ■with the settlers. Whether so many men could obtain work is a question -we cannot determine. As there are somewhere between three and four hundred of them, we should think: it would be rather difficult for all to obtain work ; but no doubt a good many of them could. We know of at least one settler, who purchased a considerable e3tate at the Government land sale, in the neighbourhood of the Waiuku settlements, and he was reluctantly compelled to give up the idea of improving it last season, owing to the fact that the men, so long as the " Government stroke" lasted, would not do any work for private individuals, at wages which would justify their employment. They were offered the work by contract, at paying rates, but nothing reasonable would induce them to work. This is one case only. There are others equally well authenticated, and we know that the general improvement of the fine district in question has been greatly retarded in consequence. No doubt roads have been made, and creeks bridged ; but the immigrants, now that they have been struck off pay and work', find no one ready to employ them. In fact, they drove capital away from them. We hear that the men off pay threaten to come down to Auckland in a body, to demand employment from the Provincial Government. In view of this determination being carried out, we may just as well state our opinion, which is founded on a knowledge of the facts of the case, and may check any attempt that may be made to enlist the sympathy of the working classes of Auckland in favour of a very questionable proceeding, and a not very defensible cause. The non military settlers, introduced by the General Government for location in the Waikato, when thrown overboard by the General Government, were taken in hand and employed at the expense of the province. How many thousands of pounds of the provincial money went in that way the Superintendent's financial message let the public know. The province spent this money, without being legally bound to spend a shilling; The non-military settlers were found in work ; houses were built for them ; rations were contracted for and supplied to them at, in several instances, less thau contract rates. They were put upon their own land, which was invariably of the best quality. They were located in the very choicest spots of the province, and had ten chances to one in their favour over any hard-working pettier who came here on his own account. Moreover, employment has been found for them long beyond the stipulated six months after their arrival in the colony. \ We say, therefore, that faith has been more than kept with these men, and they have no claim whatever upon the Government. If the settlers in the district could find work for them, it would be well if they strained a point to do so. But then, wages must come down, and a fair day's work must be done. The farming classes generally complain that labour is so very high, tillage farming will not pay. Now, there is an abundance of labour ; and as it cannot be found employment by advances out of the public chest, which is empty, it must in some way be employed by the country settlers. As we have said, however, it is a great pity that the non-military .settlers should have disgusted men of capital, who purchased land in their neighbourhood, by their exorbitant demands. These gentlemen will think twice before employing any of them. They have not created confidence as a body, although we should be very sorry to class all alike. We trust, however, as the immigrants have been over a twelreraonfch on their land, that they will have made some progress towards cultivating sufficient for the support of their families in any emergency. They have had ample opportunities, and ought not to be so very badly off. To-day, Mr. Weaver, the Engineer- in- Chief, will inspect the works executed by the immigrants in the neighbourhood of Howick, preparatory to the men being struck off pay. There will not be much difficulty, we should think, in finding employment for those people in the neighbourhood, and we trust the settlers on the Tamaki will do their best to relieve the pressure on the Government.