AN EMIGRANT’S PARADISE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3789, 29 May 1885, Page 3

AN EMIGRANT’S PARADISE.

The above is the name applied by a recent settler at Canterbury to the Englund of the southern seas. Writing home to friends in Liverpool, he gives a glowing account both of the weather, the scenery, the social surroundings, the laws, and the educational system that prevails, and his description, if to be relied on, ought to make the month of every poor man, straggling at Home, water to be out there. “Ever since 1 left London,’’ he writes, “ I have not seen one miserable, thin, half-starved child ; indeed, the people here do not know what snob a thing is.” Some information he gives (remarks the correspondent whose letter we are quoting) will be news to people at Horae, for speaking of the licensing laws he observes that local option is in full force, and that “if any man is a notoriously hard drinker, any householder can appear before ,a magistrate and apply for a bearing of the case. The man is summoned to answer the charge, and if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court, they prohibit all the publicans of the district from supplying the man with intoxicating drink.” It is to be feared that if this system wore to be carried out at Home, the force on the Bench would have to be quintupled, and even then be unequal to its duties. “ Swear--1 lug and profane language is an offence

punished by 48 hours’ imprisonment without option of a fine.” There appear to bo some flies mingled with the pot of ointment, for “Things.” ho goes onto say “ were never so bad or quiet in the Colony as they are at present. . . . No one has any money ; there is no trade going on,” He naively remark", “ There is one thing needful in this country,and that is money; for there ia hilt little in the place.” But the sums up his encomiums by remarking, “If there was more money in this country, England could not hold a candle to New Zealand." Unfortunately New Zealand is not the only place that needs a little more hard cash, and even the Old Country Would, perhaps, show up a littlo better if there were more of it knocking ab'mt. Still, it is obvious that New is just the place for a hard-working farmer who has a small capital, and letters such as these do good, if only they are not too highly coloured to be trne. Unfortunately, there are not infrequently complaints here on this score, made by persons who have been induced by land speculators and others to invest their money in paradises which have no existence but in imagination. This remark applies more particularly to Canada and the States. The same journal which prints the letter above referred to, gives also a lamentable story told by a man who was induced to go ont to the State of Florida, which be finds littla better than a desert or a fever swamp.