THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. TUESDAY, MAY 27, 1873.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2910, 27 May 1873, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. TUESDAY, MAY 27, 1873.

We are pleased to notice that our suggestion regarding public meetings to consider the propriety of memorialising the General Government to complete the railway from Mercer to the confiscated boundary, is being acted upon. A public meeting is to be held at Ngaruawahia to-morrow (Wednesday) for this purpose ; and we understand that similar meetings will be held at the other settlements. This is as it ought to be. Unless the Waikato settlers persistently press this matter upon the attention of the Government they stand a poor chance of success. We entirely agree with our Waikato contemporary " that meetings should " not be confined to the Waikato. " Every constituency in this province " should meet, aud bring pressure to " bear upon its members. If the Auck- " land members will for once unite there " is little doubt but they will carry the " day." Not a doubt of it. But there is too much apathy in this province to render it at all probable that the several constituencies should unite to promote any great central work such as the one projected, although there is no harm in making the suggestion. However, we are of opinion that it is the imperative duty of Auckland and the surrounding settlements to give public expression to an opinion on this subject. If the railway were now open to Cambridge, Orakau, or Alexandra — we care not which —Auckland and the Thames would draw nearly all their supplies from the Waikato country, instead of from the South aud over sea. Local trade and manufactures would be stimulated, settlement would extend, and what is of quite as great importance to the colon}- at large, the

peace of tlie North island would be assured. We have already enlarged upon this point, «and need not farther refer to it." As the Waikato Times remarks, " the duty that we, as settlers, have to " perform, is to hold meetings and t£ forward petitions to the liouse. " There is no time to be lost, as the " Assembly will meet in a few weeks." Now, in viow of this fact, would it not be well for the Mayor of Aucklaud to convene a meeting of the inhabitants to consider this question, and adopt resolutions in its favor to be forwarded to the General G-overument. The districts of Parnell, Newton, and Ponsonby, might be similarly convened by the chairmen of the respective Highway Boards ; and wo would further suggest to the several Highway Boards south of Auckland (and, for that matter, north of it as well,) to meet specially for the purpose of considering this important question, and if it should be favorably entertained, of adopting and transmitting resolutions in its favor to the authorities at AVellingI ton. By adopting this plan, the I opinion of the great majority of our fellow-settlers would be obtained; — an opinion not likely to be disregarded by gentlemen in high places. We really trust that the Mayor of Auckland, with his well-known public spirit, will take this matter in hand, and tliat he will be warmly supported by the merchants. The cost of transport to tho AYaikato is a bar to settlement. It has all but created a carrying monopoly which, however profitable to those interested in its maintenance, is manifestly detrimental to the Waikato and immediate districts, as well as to the trade of the city. AVith a railway line open for traffic, everyone would have equal facilities for pushing business, and the most energetic would iu tho end succeed. AVe should imagine that tho rural and suburban Highway Boards would not scruple to recommend an undertaking which must directly benefit their districts. Let us for once in Auckland present the spectacle of a united people, promoting a great colonial undertaking.

The resolutions to be proposed by the Executive to tho Provincial Council of Canterbury, on the subject of immigration (as reported by telegraph), are most important. After reciting that the General Government fail to meet the requirements of the province, it is proposed that an Emigration Agent shall bo appointed for Canterbury, to be approved of by the General Government, and paid out of the Immigration loan, whose duty it should be to select emigrants for that province ; and that a sum of £20,0U0 be voted for the purpose of promoting immigration. A similar proposal was to be made by the Otago Government; but owing to the dissolution of the Council, nothing has been done. "Wellington likewise has gone in tho same direction, tho inoaey to bo raised by loan. Although Hawke's Bay has not shown any disposition to act independently, it brought such a pressure to bear upon the Agent-Goueral as to compei him to supply iis requirements. Beyond the fact already published, that two thousand five hundred immigrants may be expected in Auckland during the year, wo know nothing of what has been done towards introducing population into this province ; and we are in still greater ignorance as to what steps have been taken to dispose of them when they do arrive. In Wellington and Hawke's Bay there was land on which to locate, and public works on which to employ them ; an agent of the Government accompanied them ; advances were made, aud they were conveyed to their destination at the public expense. But in Auckland no preparation would appear to have been made. Where arc they to be located ; and if there is to bo any block of land set apart for them, how are they to reach it, and when there how are they to support themselves until they can build houses, and clear and cultivate a piece of ground? Above all, will the abominable Fencing Act be enforced ?

Wo put these questions, becauso although we desire to see a large influx of population to Auckland, we also desire that they shall land here uuder conditions of possible success. From all that we see and hear, they would land under conditions which would render success absolutely impossible. We don't want thousands of men, women, and children flung ashore iu Queen-street wharf without any provision made for their employment or location ; nor do we want again to see the miserable spectacle of an officer of the General Government, — the Sub - Emigration agent, —writing to the City Council of Auckland, asking that body to find employment for four immigrants. We wonder what the duties of this officer is. What is it that the Government require of their immigration agents at the several ports of the colony? Are they simply ornamental - salaried officers, who pay an official visit to an immigrant ship on arrival, shake hands with the captain, and express their " satisfaction at the arrangements on " board." If not, we wonder what on earth it is. Do they keep a labour register ? Have they any means of knowing where men and women may find employment, in what numbers, and at what rate of remuneration ? We have a kind of impression that these are among a few of the duties of the office of immigration agent, but we are strongly impressed with the conviction that in no single instance are these even limited functions discharged. The failure of the officers in this respect is unfair to the resident settlers, and most unfair also to the new comers.

Returning to the general question of immigration, it will be seen that an attempt is made to revert to the old system of provincial touting, in which the Canterbury agent used to puff his province at the expense of Auckland, tending, as Dr. Featheraton said, to prevent suitable men., from emigrating. Granted that emigration under Dr. Eeatherston lias been a

failure, the remedy is not to fall back upon au admittedly bad system, I but to remedy the defects in the i existing one. Moreover, we protest against the immigration loan being spent to pay provincial touters for Canterbury. If Canterbury spendo a portion of its land revenue, supplementing the General Government expenditure on immigration, she has a perfect right to do so, and may employ her own agents, charter her own ships, and control the whole affair ; but the proposal of the Canterbury 01-o----vernment is rather too selfish to find approval in other parts of the colony. Of course, we should only be too glad to find population pouring into Canterbury and Otago, where there is, practically, a limitless demand for labor, and where there is an immense breadth of land available for settlement.