AN EMIGRANT’S PARADISE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7562, 29 May 1885, Page 5

AN EMIGRANT’S PARADISE.

. The above is the name applied, by a recent settler at Canterbury to the England K of the southern seas. Writing home to friends in Liverpool, he gives a glowing account both of the weather, the scenery, the social surroundings, the laws, and the educational system that prevails, and his description, if to he relied on, ought to ‘ make the mouth of every poor man, ' v struggling at Home, water to be out there. " Ever since X left London,” he writes, “1 have not seen one miserable, thin, halfstarved child; indeedj’the people here do not know what such a thing is.” . Some in- , formation he gives (remarks the oorre- * spondent whose letterwe are quoting) willbe news to people at Home, for, speaking of the licensing laws, he observes that local option is in full force, and that “ if 'any man is a notorious hard drinker, any householder can appear before a magistrate and apply for a hearing of the case. The man is summoned to answer the charge, and if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court, they prohibit all the publicans in the district from supplying the man with intoxicating drink.” It is to be feared that if this system were carried out at Home', the,' force on the Bench would have to be quintupled, and even then be unequal to its duties. " Swearing and profane language • is an offence punished by 48 hours’ imprisonment without the option of - a fine.” However, there appear to. be some flies mingled • with the pot of ointment, for “ Things,”' he goes on to say, "were never so bad or quiet in the Colony as they are at present. . . . No one has any money j there, is no trade ; going on.” He naively remarks, "There is one thing needful-in this...country, and that is money; for there is but little in the place,” But he auras up his encomiums by remarking, "If there was more money in this Country; England eon Id not hold a candle to New' Zealand.” ‘ 'Unfortunately, New Zealand is not the only place that needs a little more hard cash, and even the Old Country would, perhaps, shew up a little better if there were more of it knocking about. Still, it is obvious that New Zealand is just the place for a hard-wox-king farmer who has a small capital, and, letters such as these do good, if only they are not too highly coloured to bo true. Unfortunately, there are not infrequently complaints here on this score; made by persons who have been induced by land speculators and others to invest their - money in paradises which have no existence but in imagination. This remark- .f applies more particularly to Canada and the States. The same journal ,wMch ■ prints the letter above referred to,- gives also a lamentable story told- by a .man who was induced to go out, to the. State of Florida, which he finds little better than a desert or a fever swamp.