THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1892.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1892.

It may be permissible for us now to hope that, as New Zealand has become rehabilitated in the opinion of England, we may obtain from the mother country something in the way of good and suitable settlers. We say suitable for both sides—men who would do good to the colony by coming here, and who would also benefit themselves and their families. A cable message in yesterday's paper informed us that Sir Julius Vogel hud stated that the credit of the colony was excellent, and as there is no intention of our appearing in London in the capacity of borrowers, we have no doubt that that good credit will be maintained and increased. We do not expect a resumption of immigration into the colony on such a large scale as we saw during the early years of the public works scheme. Indeed, an influx of that kind would be a serious embarrassment to us. We are now, compared to our position then,'a large community, and from our own numbers are able to furnish every year a contingent of young people to take up waste land. At that time the colony spent large sums on immigration, but that is quite impossible now. Still, the colony would gladly receive every year a number of farmers —men able to farm on their own account, and who would possess the very moderate means required to' give them the necessary start. Since Mr. Perceval went home as Agent-General he has taken steps to direct attention to this subject of immigration, which amongst the troubles of recent years has been so completely forgotten. We are afraid, however, that in this he is not encouraged by the Government. In his address before the Royal Colonial Institute Mr. Perceval spoke of the advantages of New Zealand as a home to several classes. First, there was the large class who have a fixed though moderate income with a growing family, who found their income hardly sufficient for the position they would like to occupy in England, and who at present in many cases go to the continent of Europe. Such people, he believed, would find a most suitable place of residence in New Zealand. He then went on to speak of the class of small farmers, as . follows :—

The class of people, however, to whom New Zealand offers the most inducements is the small farmer class. The colony seems in every way cut out by nature for a community of small farmers. There are, and always will be, in certain parts large holdings, for the simple reason that the character and situation of some of the land are such that small areas will not support a family in comfort; but the greater portion of the land is eminently fitted for close farming. The fertile soil, abundant water supply, and the fact that no part of .New Zealand is beyond easy reach of a harbour on the coast, are all conditions ensuring the success of the small farmer.

At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce held a few days ago, the retiring president (Mr. A. S. Paterson) elaborately reviewed the position of the colony. In referring to the subject of settlement, he showed how much progress had been made and how the size of holdings had diminished, proving that it was becoming more profitable to divide the large areas formerly occupied. The statistics show that within the last Jive years there has been an increase in the holdings of 20 per cent, as against 9 per cent, increase in population. In speaking on the subject of settlement Mr* Paterson said :—

We have good land on all hands, and plenty of it. We want farmers with sufficient means to come and purchase it, settle on it, and assist by their capital and energy to develop our glorious colony. Well, what steps are we taking to get them; Almost none. We know that farmers ara leaving the old country for many lands every year with the needful skill and the neeclfal bit of money. _ We expect that somehow or other they will hear of _ New Zealand, its reason-ably-priced land, its frozen meat trade and grain trade, and, deciding to plane their future home here, take ship for our shores. Is this a reasonable expectation ? Is that process going to people our colony with substantial settlers? 1 say it is not. No, we must consider the British tenant farmer that we want to come here much more closely than we have ever done. We must go to him with particulars of our land, tell him honestly its quality, its situation, its price, what it will grow, what it will cost to fence it, to break it up, to put a steading and a house on it as may be required. lam satisfied a colonisation scheme on these lines will have to be devised, or New Zealand must be settled with farmers born in the country and not with farmers from Britain ; &nd few of us will see in our day any very marked progress made, from simple want of buyers.

One great difficulty which the colony formerly encountered in the 'way of obtaining such a class of immigration as we have referred to, was the very bad means of conveyance. To come to New Zealand direct meant a long voyage in a sailing ship, with all the discomforts of that position. Now, the direct steam communication which we have is exactly what would suit an English farmer who brings with him his family, and. perhaps some of his furniture. In these steamers the settler may come to any port he chooses, and the passage money required will not be large.

As regards the laws under which land may be taken up, full information can of course be obtained at the office of the Agent-General. Unfortunately our politicians are always tinkering at them with , the object of making them more suitable for settlers, but with the result of the confusion which always arises from frequent changes in such matters. Both parties in politics at present profess that their object is to afford a choice of methods, so that each man shall be able to suit his circumstances

or his predilections, and also that a man may be able to go on the land he selects with as little first outlay as possible, and yet be confident that he will reap the whole result of his labour. V

Having now so far set itself in order, the colony has, we think, a right to expect immigration of the character above

lentioned. . No man need fear being propelled to occupy with his , family toe ; lonely, inaccessible place ii the isb, where perhaps for . weeks he has L chance of seeing a neighbour He "V indeed go to such a place,' if he ft a fancy for pioneering. But he cai .easily now find land- in districts provided with roads, wit! no re *|distance of a railway termiiating at \e of the principal citie:. \ As regalg education for his childi?n, he will ow find it difficult to local i himself if any part of the colony where agriciture is carried on, where ie will not easy distance of a school givingjn excellent sound Englili education;