FREE IMMIGRATION.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5312, 2 September 1874, Page 2

FREE IMMIGRATION.

Tin: two leading Melbourne weekly journals arc dibcuajing the advantages and disadvantages of freehand assisted immigration to that colony. The Leader thinks the establishment of an institution like the Castlo Garden Labor Bureau at Now "York would bo all that ia requisite to distribute tho surplus labor of towns and cities over the rural districts of the country ; and if this were done thcio would soon cease to be demands from the agricultural distiiuts for an increase in the population by State assisted immigration. The Australasian aaaerti that the necessity of immigration has beon forcod upon Llio notice of Parliament by the numerous memorials prepared by local bodies m all pji ts of tho colony, complaining of tho urgent want of labour, and urging that maans should be adopted to incut the dcuiiuul. In the discussion, frequent allusion is made to the successful course adopted by this colony, and tho prosperous condition of the working clasaei. It is assorted that in soino of the country districts the selectors, whom a paternal Government lias allured upon their lands, are unablo to raiae their potato crop for want of hands ; and it may bo seen clearly that when a colony like New Zealand is »o rapidly increasing her population by immigration, and others are acting in a similar way, the time when Victoria must concede the premier position amongst the colonies cannot bo far distant, unless she makes a timely change in her narrow, selfish policy. At present, tho writer goes ou to aay, wo are covering tho country with railways, and shutting out, by refusing to help hither, thobO who would at onco bo co labourers in the work of construction, passengers to employ thom, and fellow-oontributors to the fund for moeting their cost. Wo are at tho flamo time striving by artificial enactments to settle a race of farmers on tho land, and doing evorythmg (hat a Government can do to deprive them of tho supply of labour which alone can rnako thpir settlement productive of benefit to themselves and the community. We have persisted in this perverse inconsistent polioy loDg enough,

and without question it is tnno that wo should consk'er th« necessity of changing it bofore it « too late to derive any beiieiit fioin tl<o charge.