EMIGRATION FROM SCOTLAND TO OTAGO, via LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3256, 13 July 1872, Page 3

EMIGRATION FROM SCOTLAND TO OTAGO, via LONDON.

TOTHK EDITOR.

Sin—l wish, through the medium of ynttr paper, to enter my protect against the policy of the V Agent-General," regarding .Scotch emigration. I was one of seven yonng men who left the Wc«fc of Scotland to come to Otago in a London ship, belonging to Shaw, SavilJ, & Co.. and the cruel and annoying treatment we experienced at their hands in, I am aura, vividly remembered by all of the party who are yet alive. We were informed that the Hhiy would nail in the beginning of. November, and of course gave np our situations and got ready to start, when we wore told that the vessel would not be ready till. the Ist December, about which tune "we all went up to 'London1, only to find that we were a month too soon, for the vessel did not sail till the beginning of January the following year. All 'that month we, along with a good many others, were kept hanging on from day to day, assured by Shaw, Savill, and Co. that we would sail; ma day or two. Now, Sir, we were- all poor, hard-working men, and some of us on arrivingin '"London had only a few 1 shillings in the world, so that, although we clubbed our purses and lived on the cheap, some ,©f us were in debt before the..vessel sailed. Of conree,4Ve had our "detention money," at the rate of one shilling and sixpence per day ; but I will leave you to guess how far that goes in London. But even that we could not get—for Shaw, Savill, and Co. tried, by every quirk and excuse, to keep us out of it, and succeeded in doing bo till wowere all mustered aboard the ship at Gravesenil, when wealong with others forthesame purpose followed the managing clerk about the ship, to use his own expression, "like a flock of sheep," tilJ, fairly 1-cought to bay, he paid to each his miserable debt. I have only to add that the.vessel left London on the Ist January, and arrived in Ofcigo harbour on the 7th June, five months and seven days on the p issage. I am greatly pleased with the Superintendent's despatch to the Otago agent in Edinburgh, for I have nob the slightest hesitation in recording my conviction that emigration from Scotland to Otago ria London means no Scotch emigration at all. The extra expense required to bring emigrants and their families from almost any part of Scotland to London will in effect almost double their passage money, and phi'"an effectual' stop to emigration from Scotland to Otago, thus showing the peuny-wise and poundfoolish policy of '.oar, .Agent-General, Pr Featherston.—l am, &c,

Nicoi. .Tauvie.