IMMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3252, 9 July 1872, Page 3

IMMIGRATION.

TO THK EDITOH.

Sru—Your correspondent " Old Colonist" has pretty faithfully dealt with fehe Immigration (Question, as affecting this Province. Hitherto, the principal portion of our home immigrants have come from Scotland. This can be accounted for from the circumstance that the Province was originally colonised under the auspices of certain gentlemen residing in Scotland, who formed themselves into an association to promote the settlement of Otago. No doubt, if ordinary facilities were given, the stream of immigration from Scotland would be continuous, inasmuch as the capabilities of the Province are better known in Scotland than elsewhere. ; Dr Featherstotyjioweveiy seems resolved to put an end to oof immigration from Scotland, by insisting on the Scotch immigrants embarking in London instead of in Glasgow as hitherto, and this under the plea that Messrs Patrick Henderson and Co. charge some 10s per statute adult more than the London ship-owners. This mayor may not be the case ; but if bo, my opinion is that there must be some advantage derived by the London house which is not accorded to Messrs Patrick Henderson & Co. Any way, however, it is clear to mo that it would be for the interest of the Colony if Dr Featberston would effect his savings m some other way. When 1 was at home in 1857, in connection with Immigration to this Province, it sometimes happened that in consequence of mistakes on the part of the Immig^ration officers in the measurement of the ships at one port, which was afterwards corrected at the port of sailing, some of the immigrants had to be left behind, and to be forwarded by the following ship. Now, Sir, I have been referring to ray accounts of 1557-8, and find that in the case of some immigrants, who, inconsequence of such a mistake,'could notcomcoutin the ship which they had joined in terms of instructions from the agency, the cost to me of, their transport to London, and board when there, amounted to no less a Burn than £9 2a per statute adult; and I feel pretty sure that their own personal expenses must have reached a fourth of that sum. Thus, with the ostensible object of saving 10s per statute adult on vessels sailing from the Clyde, the Colony will be put to at least four or five times that expense in transporting the Scotch immigrants to Loudon, besides putting them to all the inconvenience of suck transport, as also to considerable private expense. It is with no little satisfaction that I have learned that the Provincial Government have taken the bull by the horns, and instructed the Provincial Agent, Mr Auld, to expend on immigration the sum voted last session by the Provincial Council, ignoring altogether the dictum of Dr Featherston- For taking this bold steo, the Provincial Government deserve the best thanks of the whole Province, and it is to bo hoped that when the Assembly meets, the whole of the Otago members will unite in insisting upon different arrangements being made with regard to the Immigration Scheme.-— I am, <fee, William H. Reynolds. Dunedin, 6 1.h July. __ . TO THE EDITOR. Sm—The letter of your correspondent i " An Old Colonist," which appeared in your issue of Saturday last, should not be allowed to pass without comment. Anyone who has devoted his attention to the Government Immigration scheme, as conduct d by the Agent-General, will adirit that under the i present Agency it will ultimately prove a complete failure ; he not being the right man ; in the light place. I shall, however, not refer further to the appo ntment of Dr Feather Eton as the representative of the Colony in Britain, excepting in so far as his appointment militates against the interest of the Middle island, and this Province in particular. On entering upon his duties he found—as far as the Province of Otago was concerned—a j>erfect system of immigration established — a sy&tein which has bceu successfully carried on since 1857. Iv ISSO, the Provincial Government appointed Mr James j Adam to act as Immigration Agent in Britain, and Mr W. H. Reynolds, who accompanied Mr Adam, contracted with the Government to provide the ahips necessary to convey the immigrants hither. Mr Reynolds, on his arrival in Britain, arranged with a linn in London for the regular despatch of inimigraut vessels from that port, and with Messrs P. Henderson and Co., of Glasgow, to provide the neccssiry shipping to transmit the immigrants from Scotland. The London firm afterwards relinquished business, but Messrs P. Henderson and Co. have continued up to the present time regularly to provide ships for the conveyance of the Provincial Government immigrants, iiud from their knowledge of the Province, lutve been the means of inducing many of the present inhabitants o£ this Colony to settle litre. Now, what is the recompense that thia firm receives at the hands ;of our Agent-General for their 15 years' j faitliful service to the Province 1 They

are told that in future their services will be

dispensed -with, seeing that he has ruled that the Scotch immigrants shall sail from London, and ho possibly, and not at all improbably, may Have resolved that as far as in his power lay he would take care that Wellington, or M>mo other port of the North Island, shall be the port of arrival for all these London ships. This is sufficiently indicated by the action taken ; by our AgentGeneral, in deciding that an immigrant ship about to sail from tramlce shall make Napier the first port of arrival, and from thence proceed to Otago : that means that the port of the Province of Hawke's Bay, with a population of some GOOO, should have a preference over the port of the Province of Otago, with a population of about 70.000, and this, too, notwithstanding that Otago contributes about one-third of the Colonial Government expenditure. Prom private letters which I ha ye received.lam justified incoming to the conclusion that any information regarding New Zealand given in the Agent-General's office is entirely in favour of the North Island ; that this Island is kept in the background ; and that the object of the agency seems to be to force on the prosperity of the North Island at th© expense and to the detriment of the South Island. It is to be hoped that our representatives at the ensuing session of the General Assembly will not be backward in insisting upon a change being made in the administration of our Immigration department in Britain, so as to secure fair-play and justice to each part of the Colony. It becomes the duty and the interest of every Ixjua fide settler in the South Island to urge upon their representatives to at once put a atop to the present Bystom of favouritism— or it may bo worse—in our Immigration department at home. TiCt our settlers bestir themselves, and unite to support those of our members who are ready and willing to fairly look after the interests of this Province and the Middle

Island generally, and to call upon those who are not so disposed to resign their seats to others who will more faithfully fulfil the trtißt committed to them.—l am, 4c,

Another Oi,d Colonist Dunedin, 6th Jaly, 1872.