THE COLONIST.

Colonist, Issue 24, 12 January 1858, Page 2

THE COLONIST.

NELSON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 11-, 1868,... "As truth is truth r „. „,_. *->-~^ y Android* fey halves, may, from a simple thing -By'iniseonstruction to a monster grow, £ I'll tell the whole truth." , Sheridan Knowles. One of the most important duties ofthe present Session, is the consideration of a Waste Lands' Bill, suited to our circumstances; a measure corresponding with the necessities ofthe times, and that shall pour its benefits through the various and extending channels of augmenting population. The holders of our sheep-runs have generally acquired plentiful advantages, and if they be wise, they will confine their efforts to the consolidation and improvement of. what they have obtained, without severally attempting further aggressions, on the regions of either old or new discovery. By dealing thus prudently with their acquisitions, they will best secure them, so far as squatting is involved, and avoid collision, for a time at least, with other interests that must, from their continually recurring urgencies, offer growing hostility of unabating jealousy to every thing aggressive, on the part ofthe more wealthy classes, on the primitive domains of the Province. Throughout the British Colonies, the cry is raised for land, land for the myriads, for those whose right to it is no wild drekm of party, but an indisputable claim resting on vast natural provisions for physical want; and it 13 supported by the formidable authority of social strength, so formidable that it must in the end prevail over every opposing power. Existing as the State does, as our freely chosen or.app.oved guardian of the common soil, it is bound to acquiesce in the legitimate acquirements of the needy multitude ;—small may be the said multitude here just now, but ere long, our clime, situation, family increase, and emigration, with all attractive means of transit from other places, will enlarge it into a potent host. A good foundation being sagely cleared at once, the political structure toberaised upon it, may very soon contain ahumber exceeding our soberest computations. Instead of calculating the progress of our society numerically, from any rule of our past, we should more truly estimate from the provisions we establish for welcoming and encouraging to our shores thousands who sigh to erect such homes as our incomparable country can supply, even those of health and comfort —recommendations infinitely superior to mere riches. Well, then, population being multiplied, as it shortly will be under fit management^ it will in itself be a multiplied living reason for assigning to it the shares in the country it may be able to possess on reasonable terms, —such terms as its majorities may assuredly enforce. Now what we ask for, is such a wise anticipation of this condition as will occasion the largest satisfaction, on just grounds. We would guard against sinister notions relative to the weaker being obliged to serve the stronger for want of due precaution on the part of the Council. We may say, first do properly for all, and redress particular defects accordinglyFurther, we say if you do it not, your successors mil do it, but do it with accumulated might, and possibly more violence than may be necessary. Many of our fellow settlers have gathered considerable wealth. So far from . regarding .them with envy,'we rejoice in their prosperity. None but the mean and selfish would do otherwise. Their well-doing is a pledge of success to all others who will exert themselves suitably. Every thousand of their gold will attract we hope so many emigrants; every fairly-won sovereign will bring its man. • Their welfare is the seed of the future harvests of our provincial improvement. But let not the fortunate few employ their position, a social vantage-ground greatly attributable at best to apparent accidents, to attempt the ultimate compulsion of ill-requited services from the poorer of their countrymen.; Let them not imagine that the world is coming here to wear their cast-off clothes; the garments of antiquated European serfdom will not fit men breathing the expanding air of New Munster; 'the limbs of free equals are too strong, and the hearts of such Britons too energetic, to be held by the contemptible fetters of Northern degradation. Wealth is not superiority. Here employers are not masters: mind that. " Call no man Master." We know who said that, and what the terms imply. The employed, like lawyers, doctors, clergymen, and other professors, giving, by equal bargain, moneys worth for the money, are not servants, that is slaves as of old, nor are they cookies, but assistants or deputies if you please, the shillings of whose toil $,re quite on a par with the coinage you agree to pay. On such a social level, and on such alone, will English intellect and muscle ply for their neighbours here; The globe is too big, and Englishmen now too knowing to submit to ought beneath this,

Sheridan Knowles,

.unless they be starved for a time, in dread of starvation, wishful to replenish their purse a little, or are demoralised by indolence,' intemperance, or some other vitiating cause. Think not Messrs. Bigmen, that we want to curry favour with the ■working class; too well do we love the laws of eternal equity to sacrifice at the shrine of either their improprieties or yours, or any others ; hut what we feel to be correct we hope we shall Becomingly defend. Therefore, on the broad basis of a general equal right to the soil—a right growing put of the constitution of our whole society, and of equality between the employer and the employed, a right consequently embracing all who come hither, or are here as free men, we argue for the Provincial Council doing its best to facilitate the location of our settlers on the various parts of the country. Hinder, the people you must not; on the contrary it is your duty to smooth their passage into the interior of the island. Seek not to detain them for servile purposes by legislative restrictions. Give fair, play; not only so, look to the revenue and the inevitable increase ofthe same hy distributing diversified industry over the province. This can best be done, as the bulk of Englishmen arc now evidently finding, by a prescient system of credit, so relating to the future as to improve the present; so inducing industry by encouraging hope as, whilst you take for the acres in the market the labourer's ernest of a crownj you: ensure tha full payment of a sovereign^ Or anypther price agreed on.' It is childish tq talk offfisk as to' fulfilment of compacts by working, men. Nearly all our prosperous working men aire what they are because they had credit; and both their honour and the authority of law ensured their payments.

' We have received a long letter from a party lately returned from the Wairau, giving an account of the scandalous treatment of guests in some of the houses of public accommodation in thejyay to Nelson. Now, as thJi^^.abdmlnaibT^est-hol^ of filthjnfi-ssgaSfiess in divers parts of this Pro- j Z'rtliie, as disease, robbery and atrocious behaviour j are some ofthe causes of such dens of iniquity and j extortion, we are resolved to hold them up to public contempt and execration. Already have we communications relating to them calculated to make the blood of a clean and well-doing Englishman boil. For the present we only notice such things as we would any other nuisance in general terms, but we take leave to assure the wretched keepers of such sinks of nastiness—nasty food—• nasty beds—nasty no-beds—nasty people—nasty hovels, and nasty everything—that if they do not forthwith reform, we shall fearlessly expose them, to save the character of the settlement from disgrace, and our fellow-settlers from such rank abominations. Of course these strong terms are not intended to apply to decent, or respectable houses.