New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4144, 2 July 1874, Page 2

New Zealand Times. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1874.

The Taranaki Provincial Council has sent an emigration agent to England to specially select for that Province, not because of the scarcity of emigration agents that exists in the homo country. Indeed, these gentlemen must often run against each other, and find that they are working in the same field and trying to reap the same harvest. There is no cause for surprise that the doings of so large an army of agents, all trying to take the very pick of the laborers in the country—the bone and sinew, as it were—should excite considerable attention. A sura sign, of this is the frequency with which the Press discusses what the effect of so large a number of breadwinners leaving will be on the produce and manufactures of the country. Opinion, however, seems to be pronounced that there is yet room for a large clearing out of surplus population without disturbing the prospects of the labor employers. The farmers, it would appear, would probably resort more generally to labor-saving machines, which are used to a far greater extent in America than in England. And so probably would other employers. Por the farmers it would appear to be absolutely necessary to do this at once, as late London telegrams convey the intelligence that the lock-out in some large agricultural counties is continued, and that the laborers are appealing to Mr. Arch to send them to Canada. That gentleman would seem to have been actuated by excellent intentions, but ho has allowed his zeal to outrun his discretion. His great scheme for sending 100,000 laborers to Canada seems to hang fire. Because ho has a colleague in this Colony, actuated by similar good motives to those which took Mr. Arch across the Atlantic, wo are interested in the success of his movements, of which lately but little has been heard, and which have accomplished very little of a practical character. Mr. Arch returned from Canada at the close of last year, and ho lost no time in putting himself in communication with the managers and agents of the Laborers’ League, and then he addressed a largo public meeting at Leominster. At this he said a great deal that was seasoned with very sound sense. The Canadian Government, Said he, had agreed to allow every emigrant 100 acres of land—whether to bo subsequently paid for or not wo do not learn. This is a matter of not much consequence, for much land is sold there at but a few shillings per acre —from two to seven. The principal point is that the emigrant would be put in possession, that about six acres would be cleared, and that upon each section there would be erectod a comfortable log hut. The Government would find seed for the first year’s crop, and would give the man employment during his surplus time at five shillings per diem on the surrounding roads. This reads very well on paper, but every one ought to know that each man who thus took one hundred acres ought to be a small capitalist, whereas the difficulty in the way of the laborers going to Canada is that they are not able to raise sufficient funds to take the assisted passages that the Canadian Government grants. Usually, an agricultural laborer is head over heels in debt to the butcher, the baker, and the grocer. Mr. Arch showed to the meeting that if laborers could get across the Atlantic they would be infinitely better off than they now are. For himself, he said he should go at once were ho not engaged by the League. The laborer there had his privations, but no worse than ho endured in England for infinitely less remuneration. But a writer on the subject, who is perhaps as good authority as Mr. Arch, recently said. ‘ 1 There should be no disguising the fact that the first few years of the new settler’s life in Canada are, especially if he is a poor man, years of toil and privations. His work is new to him ; many things are needed for the house and the field ; nearly a year must pass from the time ho fells his first tree till ho oats bread raised by himself. During this probation period some sink into despair, and many more sink into debt. The men who plan wisely, who work industriously, live soberly, and act honestly, will, if blessed with health and good land, come out conquerors.” He adds, “The prizes in some of the other Colonies of Britain are, no doubt, larger than those offered in Canada.”

A gentleman from England travelled over the field of Mr. Arch’s mission, and also over the States, for the purpose of examining the fields for emigration, and ho has since contributed an essay to the Fortnightly Revieio, which appears in the number received by the May mail. In it he says, “It is unfortunate that Mr. Arch should have devoted so much time to the impossible problem of planting the laborers in comfort and plenty, in homes of their own, in the land of their adoption, when, in fact, situations at regular wages are necessarily the best conditions of °oxistence for penniless newcomers. In the interest of the, movement it is also to bo regretted that Mr. Arch saw so little of America when ho got there, that ho came back with scarcely any knowledge of the subject ho went to investigate, and that a very extensive emigration under the auspices of the Laborer’s Union is for this year quite impossible. Mr. Arch’s mission has been, to a groat extent, a failure.” Somewhat in the same spirit, the writer before referred to says, “The period of ‘casting about’ after arriving in a now country is always trying, but necessary, to learn something of the country’s ways. And, choosing the future home should bo done deliberately, and under good advice. Many families are kept down for life by a wrong choice in their first settlement in the Colony—a choice they would never have made had they known what even twelve months of a Canadian life would have taught them.” The irresistible conclusion wo draw from the foregoing is that emigrants should look forward to finding situations, not farms, on_ their arrival. And when they do farm, it is important that they should have neighbors of some description. There are scoi’es of settlers in Now South Wales whoso children cannot bo educated, and grow up lawless and ignorant. But if settlement bo compact, schools can be established; the place is sooner brought under municipal law, and a sum of money devoted to public improvements is for the benefit of all. Mr. Arch does not, so far as wo can learn, appear to have made any special arrange -

mont with the Canadian Government, where his laborers should be located, as has been the case when special settlements have been made in tins Colony. It is the merest chance whether they get good, bad, or indifferent land. The Government will doubtless consult its own ends rather than those views which actuate Mr. Arch. Moat probably the requirements of the Dominion in the shape of public works will be considered, and if a score of men are wanted in a certain place they will be sent there without regard to whether the land be wet and swampy, whether there be w'ater, what the timber may be, or whether there is a school or church near or not. Under these circumstances we are not surprised to hear Mr. Arch’s mission spoken of as a failure, at least comparatively, and we hope Mr. Holloway will make bettor arrangements here. These agricultural laborers who are so anxious to get to Canada would be infinitely more useful in New Zealand than many of the recent arrivals, who had never handled a spade in their lives, and whoso experience has certainly not been such as should fit them for a new Colony.