New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, August 25, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 216, 25 August 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, August 25, 1847.

Thk unexampled distress in Ireland, from the effects of the Famine arising out of the failure of the potato crops, seems to have thoroughly roused the attention of statesmen of all parties. It is hardly possible to conceive the labouring population of a country reduced to a more desperate condition than that of the Irish as described in the accounts we have from time to time extracted from the Home Journals. Hundreds are represented as dying weekly from sheer starvation, and in spite of the great efforts made by the Government in supplying food, notwithstanding the outlay of millions devoted to the relief of the sufferers, the J)lague has not been stayed, and the most gloomy anticipations are entertained for the future. In the mean time the individual efforts of those who have any means of escape from the devoted country point out one means of relief at least which under right direction and under the control of Government would not onlypermanently benefit those to whom the relief was extended, but would also in an equal degree promote the interests of the Parent State and its dependencies. We' are told that great numbers of the Irish are emigrating, but instead of going to a British colony they direct their course to the United States. But why should Great Britain thus allow her sons to depart from her shores, and severing their connection with the Parent State, devote their energies to the advancement of a rival Power without an effort made on, the part of the Govern, ment to direct the stream of emigration to its own colonies ? Systematic colonisation

on a large scale has on several occasions been pressed on the attention of the British Government, and by no one more eloquently and foicibly than Mr. Buller, who now occupies an important and influential position in the present ministry, and has the opportunity of reducing to practice those measures he has on former occasions so strenuously advocated. We rejoice, therefore, to see that the subject is to be brought forward again in a way likely to lead to some practical result. The complaint in Ireland is the superabundance of population and the want of food and employment, the general complaint throughout the British colonies is the scarcity of labour, and each colony advances its claim to consideration by all the means which appear likely to enforce attention. The objection of Lord John Russell against sending out a pauper population to the colonies is really of no weight whatever. What is wanted in the colonies is a supply of labour, and a part of this supply may be directed with great advantage to Ne w Zeal an d . Onevery side complaints are made of the insufficiency of the supply of labour to the wants of the settlers. A labourer's wages in Wellington is now 3s. fid. a-day, and great difficulty exists in obtaining hands even at this rate. Now, let Lord John Russell imagine some of his pauper emigrants landed in New Zealand, and obtaining more for two days' labour than they could in the old country for a week, where the labourer's large family instead of proving an incumbrance becomes a blessing, where the fear of famine is entirely banished from his mind, and the certain prospect is afforded to honest industry of becoming independent ; and then let him say if such a change would not be greatly to the benefit of all parties. The country in the neighbourhood of Wellington is being opened up by means of roads, additional labour is required for their formation, more hands are wanted to cultivate the land thus rendered accessible, more hands are required to raise the food necessary for the additional troops stationed in New Zealand, instead of importing it from the surrounding colonies. Let the experiment be tried ; let a few hundred families of the starving Scotch and Irish be sent to New Zealand, and concentrated in the neighbourhood of the principal settlements where a demand exists for labour, and where their additional numbers would give increased security and stability. The result of the experiment would be sufficiently favourable to ensure its repetition, the increase of labour would induce the employers of labour to resort to the colony, the influx of labour would be followed by an influx of capital, and by gradually extending over the face of the country, and reducing it to profitable occupation, we should realize the hopes and expectations which were formed on founding the colony.

His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor returned on Saturday from his excursion and is reported to haveheen very much gratified with the capabilities and appearance of the district through which he passed. His Excellency did not visit Wairarapa, but went as far as the end of the line of the intended road, from which a good view of the district and lake is obtained. It is said his Excellency intends this week visiting Waikanae and Otaki.

On Saturday evening the Tunnel for the purpose of draining Burnhara water, which has been for some months past' in progress at the expense of J. C. Crawford, Esq., was completed, and the water commenced to flow in a strong stream through the tunnel into Evans Bay. The tunnel, which is about one hundred yards long, is carried through the range of hills separating Burnham water from Evans Bay, and has been cut out of the solid rock. It is about four feet wide and five feet high, and is carried out to the level of high-water. It will drain the lake to the depth of seven feet, with the opportunity of draining it to the depth of four feet additional, if it should be required. This judicious measure will have the effect of reclaiming some hundred acres of level land, which are at present either partially or wholly covered with water, and which will be capable of being converted into firstrate pasturage.

A detachment of the 65th regiment under the command of Captain St. Leger Barry and Ensign Drought/ proceeded yesterday to Porirua to, relieve the company stationed

there under Major Johnson, which returned to Wellington the same evening.

A fire broke out at the New Barracks at Paramatta Point on Monday. The fire originated in some of the woodwork near one of the fireplaces ; it was fortunately extinguished without having occasioned any serious injury.