EMIGRATION FROM INDIA TO AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 62, 24 July 1852, Page 3

EMIGRATION FROM INDIA TO AUSTRALIA.

We abridge from the « S. M. Herald" the following interesting report of the proceedings of a meeting held at Madras for the purpose of promoting emigration to Australia, taken from the " Madras Athenasum," Jan. 6. At the meeting several resolutions were adopted, and an Association formed, for the futherance of this object : —

On Saturday last, a meeting was held at the Polytechnic for the purpose of considering the propriety of establishing an Association to promote the Emigration of East Indians to the Australian colonies. It was well attended, Sir William Burton occupying the -chair. The meeting was opened with prayer. The Chairman said, — " It was his duty in some small degree to express the objects of the meeting ; which would be more fully done by several gentlemen about to follow him. It was. perhaps, a hard thing that recourse should be had to such an expedient as that proposed to benefit a people — the calling upon them to leave the country of their birth and seek another lancl. But that which appeared harsh at first was not at variance with the goodness of Providence. It was His will that we should not live"'a "stagnant life; it was His command that \ve Should go out and replenish the earth, who onlf^knew that we would better our condition by.. emigrating. There was a time when- God's chosen., people for a period of 430 years lived andjattened in a strange land, and why should not our young men strive to gain an inheritance^ elsewhere than in their own country ? Most assuredly there was little provision for them here from the dearth of employment, not only for those of East Indian parents, but of pure European descent. But whether both parents were European, or one only European, all were bound to us by the ties of kindred and of blood. They were one and all deficient of maintenance. There was no support for them here, no support except for the clouted native. There was literally no room for them ; and endowed as they were with the decision of character and energy of the European, they were not satisfied with the small benefits they here received. They required more ; -and entertaining these opinions, certain friends had thought on the subject ; and it was intended to devise a scheme to enable the East Inlian to seek and obtain in a more congenial clime those blessings which were denied him in his own. They had no wish to force them away — no, no ; as a magistrate he was capable of preventing that ; not to persuade them to leave, but simply to ask them ' you see what we intend j if you desire to avail yourselves of the advantages to be placed within your reach, all we propose to do is to assist you.' He did not think the project could be too strongly impressed on the minds of the East Indian community. There was no possibility of the East Indian obtaining employment here." He went on to state the advantages which they would derive by their emigrating to Australia, from the abundant employment to be obtained in that country, being very different from that in which they were now living, and concluded by offering all his influence and endeavours to push the project onward.

Mr. Clarke next spoke in favour of the scheme, giving it as his opinion, that it was the best plan which could be adopted, illustrating his remarks with several instances of success which had attended individuals who emigrated from England to Australia for the purpose of pushing their fortune, remarking also, that " honesty of purpose, sobriety of conduct, and a portion of energy, are the only ingredients necessary to ensure success."

Mr. Mead then said — " For what purposes was the proposed exportation of East Indians set on foot ? The fact must resolve itself to this : the East Indians were shut out of every avenue by which they could obtain that wh^ch Providence and their faculties fit them to toil :

for and enj6y. It was indeed a aad emergency which should result in the alternative to emigrate—it was a sad thing the destruction of ties which bind us to our families. But it was sadder still to find men rooted to a certain spot of earth, obstinately clinging to a land which, as it were, rejected them, or gave at best but a wretched subsistence, as the reward of utmost toil ! Talk of the hardship of emigrating I "Why — what were they all but emigrants, or the children of those who had left father and mother, home and kindred, and the burial places of their ancestors, to better themselves in a foreign land. It had been said that the Anglo-Saxon race would cover the world — a statement which truly applied to England. Her sons were emigrating to all quarters of the world, in the hope of bettering their condition. What had the East Indian in India to induce him to remain where he was ? The middle classes were found in circumstances which benevolence could not alter, surrounded by a depth of wretchedness into which they must sooner or later sink, deprived of all that could tend to make life pleasant, and with no prospect of remuneration, the reward of constant and perpetual toil. They could not compete in any single thing with the native ; and even men of wealth of their own class, when called upon to give an East Indian a fair opportunity to make his labour remunerative, gave the preference to the native because native labour was cheaper. He had seen many young men of ability and good disposition for whom there was no hope of advancement. There was a barrier to all progress upward, and a yawning gulf of wretchedness at their feet, in which they were ever in danger of sinking to the native level. If they married, the wife must make up her mind to become the wretched household drudge. Every increase to the family was an increase of misery, and both parents must feel that they were perpetuating a race of being 3 who would be in time as wretched and hopeless as themselves. Was there any possibility here of rising above the dead level in which they at present existed ? In the mighty land of Australia, which might be the cradle of an empire, mightier even than England herself, that opportunity was certain — there was to be 'found-ample scope for ability, and profitable employment for every description of labour. Entertaining these opinions, he (Mr. Mead) was, a warm advocate of the" scheme: '.'lie was an emigrant himself. Some- of the besj; and most yirtuous of the families in England', the best born in the land, had sought fame and wealth in distant climes. Let the Eastlndians } therefore, show that they had a desire to benefit their .condition, and let them not rest satisfied till the change took place.

Several speakers followed in a similar strain, alluding particularly to the depressed condition of Madras, and the great dearth of employment which exists for the East Indians.

In reference to the above, the " S. M. Herald" observes, — " A meeting has been held at Madras to promote the emigration to ' Australia of persons of European descent. The competition of the native races is so excessive, and the rates of wages are consequently so extremely low, that it is impossible for persons of European descent to live upon them. If they come to the colony prepared to work as mechanics, agriculturists, or shepherds, the colony can re,ceive as many ' Eurasians' as can be sent, and both the colony and the parties arriving will be benefitted. Sir "William Burton, who appears to be taking the most active part in themovement, says that nothing can be done without assistance from the colony j and considering the difficulty of procuring people from England, wo can see no objection to an annual grant to assist in the undertaking. To this point we shall take an opportunity of returning in a few days."— (May 20.)

Union Bank of Australia. — At a meeting of the proprietors in this bank, held at 38, Old i Broad-street, City, on January 19, one of the speakers said — " The report stated that the gold discoveries in Australia would benefit the agriculture of New Zealand and Van Diemen's Land ; might he ask in what way ?" To which the Chairman replied—" Of course there would be a great demand for the produce of New Zealand and the other islands in the Pacific. For if people were engaged in the ' diggings,' they could not at the same time be prosecuting their farming avocations. He himself had lately received letters from Van Diemen's Land, the writers of which manifested great alarm at the probability which existed of gold being found there also. (Laughter.) The consequence would be, that the produce raised at New Zealand would have a wider and a better market. In Van Diemen's Land wheat had got up to 11s. a bushel on the 13th of September last . _ which was the date of his letter." — Morning .Herald. < ■