" Waiters upon Providence" have proverbially a rather bad time of it, but waiters on the tardy justice of a New Zealand Government are just a trifle worse off, if anything. Mr. H. W. Farnell is a case in point. Four years ago tie went home as General Government Immigration Agent, but was discharged by Dr. Featherston, acting on instructions from Mr. O'Rorke, then Minister for Immigration. He was then appointed by the Superintendent of Auckland as agent for that Provincial Government. For two years he worked hard, Irs labors being specially directed to the formation of the Vesey Stewart settlement, of which he was really the originator. By that time he was actually £1800 out of pocket, and he naturally thought it time that he was paid. Then it was suddenly discovered that the particular clause of the Act under which his appointment had been made had been repealed, and that consequently he had no lecml claim to remuneration for his work. He came to
New Zealand, and claimed £1500 from the Government, being £200 more than his actual disbursements. His claim was fully investigated by the Public Petitions Committee/ who were satisfied, on the clearest evidence,' that Mr. Farnell had been an unusually' successful emigration agent, both in. the; number and the class of persons* he sent, out, bo they reported in his favor. ' The strongest proof of his success is the fact that all the North of Ireland newspapers, which are strongly opposed to -emigration, sung a loud jubilate over his departure, saying that he had done Ireland great injury by causing hundreds of her best sons and daughters to emigrate. We also have before us returns from the Feilding, Karamea, Jackson's Bay, and Seventy-mile Bush Special Settlements, which show most conclusively that Mr. Vesey Stewart's Kati-Kati Settlement, on which Mr. Farnell was engaged, has been far the most successful of the whole, in proportion to its area, although it is the youngest settlement, and the Government expenditure in its formation was comparatively very small. We hope to see some compensation to Mr. Farnell placed on the Supplementary Estimates, for it -is not well for the colony to discourage the efforts of such men, who, in the performance of their work, look to the real interests of the colony, and not merely to the number of immigrants they can send .out.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 286, 6 December 1877, Page 2
Word Count
393Untitled Evening Post, Volume XV, Issue 286, 6 December 1877, Page 2
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