NEWZEALAND AS A FIELD FOR EMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8074, 9 January 1888, Page 4

NEWZEALAND AS A FIELD FOR EMIGRATION.

Dr J. Cameron Lees, in his letter to the Scotsman giving an account of his visit to Now 2ealand, says :—

" I would like before I close this letter to sum up the result of my observations on New Zealand as a field for emigration. First and foremost, it is a country for a good working man. Eight shillings is the standard wage for suoh. Skilled labourers, such as carpenters and bricklayers, make 10s. Domestic servants get from 15s to £1 a week. A reasonably good cook can't begot under £52 a year. Ono day as I was going along I mot with a decent fellow working at the road who told me he came from 'Auld Reekie.' I was attracted by his pleasant, honest-looking countenance, and made some inquiry regarding him. Eight years ago lie landed in the colony. Ho resolved to go to work at whatever he could get. In threo years he ■was able to purchase 300 acres of land at £2 an acre. Ho cleared this bush of fern, and has about 100 head of cattle. He gets as surfaceman on the district road 7s a day all through the year, while bis wife and family manage the farm. His caso is a typical one. Too many of those who get good wages spend them the next night, but the good working man of sober habits cannot fail to do well. There is another class for whom it seems to mc New Zealand is specially suited—namely, yonng men with two or three thousand pounds, who wish to follow a free, open-air life, to enjoy sports, and to live on their own property. New Zealand offers to such peculiar inducements such as they can find in no other country. The climate is superb, the country is homelike, the society is cood, tho scenery is beautiful. One thing they must do before spending their money, and that is to learn experience by working for a year or more on a station. A Londoner of whom I heard came to tho colony with £8000, and at once bought land at £5 an acre, leaving the half of it on mortgage. He built a house at £1300, furnished it from Homo, and employed labour extravagantly. In six years' timo tho mortgagees threatened to close, when he was fortunate to sell at £i 10s, and was thankful to have a small amount ocr to start with in town. No one should think of settling till he has had practical training in tho working of a station. Then he can buy land with confidence. To a young fellow of the right sort this country offers a very happy life indeed. He may not make a fortune, but he will enjoy competency. His days will be spent on horseback in the open air. His evenings can bo cheered with the pleasures of society, unless ho be located in some wild outlying region. He will get fair sport. Pheasants, ducks, wild pigs are numerous. And, as the saying is, 'he needn't call the king his cousin.'"