EMIGRATION.- HOW IS IT TO BE INDUCED?

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1979, 23 May 1870, Page 4

EMIGRATION.- HOW IS IT TO BE INDUCED?

Tn:'. London lierua• says that Colonel hcfroy lias lately suggested uiiofhciaily that ; •• the transports about to be sent out to our j distant dependencies, in the course of the \ spring, to briiii! back troops who are not I to he repl.iced, be filled with j emigrants." We have more than onee been struck with the idea that some of the i vessels of Her IWaje-ty's navy, which hive been so long lying idle in the dock- ; yards, might be usefully employed as emigrant vessels. A few days since we alluded j ! to the question of emigration, and then | ! stated oar opinion that steps should be at j onee taken to secure from nstive owners ' tracts of land for purposes of hind grants. > It would, of course, be necessary to make su.-h regulations with' regard io free i grants as would prevent persons from disposing of their laud immediately upon . receiving it, else large blocks would speedily pass into the hands of capitalists, which would be in 110 way preferable to : the present native tenure. The London Jit'cteic, speaking of the inducements held out by the American Government to emigrants says : —" The Free Homestead Act, passed a short time ago, bv which :mv industrious man whose honesty can be vouched for may obtain a grant of IGO acres of new land, subject only to punctual payment of the general and local taxes, is calculated to give a further stimulus to the progress of transatlantic colonisation. The rulers of . Canada are beginning to feel its eft'eets, and they are now bidding for immigrants , in competition with their l'epublican neighbours. In the province of Ontario, ' ever}- emigrant of suitable age may now j obtain a grant in fee of liiO acres, as i much for his wife, and as much more for each of his sons What joy and hope would not the dissemination of the allimportant fact bring to many an humble household in the United Kingdom." In this in inner we differ from the United ."Maws and Canada. Settlers in those countries limvc greater facilities for disposing of their produce, by means of railways, rivor steamers, and neighbouring markets. It is obligator}', therefore, 011 us, that our settlers should be persons possessed of some little mean', in order that a delay in their money returns for a year or two may not overwhelm them iu utter ruin. Ihere are in the United Kingdom num- • bers of families whose means are insufficient to enable them to support the , position to which they would otherwise ( be entitled, and who would be only too glad to embrace an opportunity of securing to themselves land iu a healthy > climate like that of New Zealand, on s which the expenditure of their money 1 would ensure them an independency. ! But not only must lands be acquired by Ihe New Zealand Government for such , purposes, but publicity must be given, , through the medium of the British press, [ 'o the fact. Published letters and articles 011 colonial subjects are greedily read in ® ngland. The general impression at the ' present time witli regard to this country, ' is, that it is a Tegion of " battle, murder, ■ind sudden death." Such an idea has

Lad its natural sources ; but it be our task to disabuse ihe minds ofa* Lome emigrational element of the JV 9 and to exhibit our adopted countrv°' lOn ' favourable a light as possible. m 33 The whining policy hat faiL-d if, Featherstone and Bell hare had a ni f , trip, and their countenance?, which* no doubt toned down to a suitably 1, : brious length for the ministerial in, > view, hare probably resumed their nvr" nanly pleasant expression. It mu*t i been an immense relief when it "vra-'l over, and our envoys could put ..ff,?' 1 sackcloth and ashes. But now that pitiful scheme has failed, would it r, ? be as well if those gentlemen structed to endeu-our to secure a V • cn an entirely different footing si 11 \ their departure the rebel movemc-' ?° e received a terrible blow, an.l we do lon require money for war purpose* s ger po--e, then, that efforts are made to oW" a loan for purposes of internal dove'- n ment. Let us secure the monev anit': talk about interest. " a It will be no new discovery if w e fir 1 by experience, that no claim' is s ' o ; t as a golden one. We know of noV o 't; ? I tude equal to that felt bv ;i creditor"? ! his debtor. The thing is "surely wort] "l H j trial. Such a long journey, at cu.-l/ \it ; heavy expense, if lvsiiltir./in nothia'-at ! | all, will lie the reverse of ! if ilessrs. I'eatherstonc and Eellca-* I by any lawful means, obtain an loan, thev will deserve •ranouifati-in'fo ; the New Zealand calendar. WeknoT .of no two gentle.;.i ii so «■<■,! qualified to i conduct sucli a business, ..Iways supnoi j ing them to possess letters ot marque for i the purpose. With a l.>an of coMiV.rtable dimensions, judiciously expendVf would be difficult to l'o,-.'shadow vrhat ! this colony might not inpidly becoaie ia j wealth and impor'ance. Our acrt-a j 5 ' ; something like that of Gr. at Britain j Ireland. "An English loan at anv price" 1 should be the ticket ot' the | Government. """ j