Correspondence.

Timaru Herald, Volume X, Issue 415, 19 May 1869, Page 3

Correspondence.

IMMIGRATION. TO THE EDITOB OF THE TIMAHU HERALD. Sib, — A great deal being said just now on Immigration, it may be of some use to write to you on the subject. To my mind, the writers generally, although repeating a parrot like cry, seem to know little or nothing about how it should be carried out. I think and have long thought that the system of assisted passages as it obtains at present, is a most unwise and pernicious one, for the immigrant on landing starts m debt, thus m a variety of ways having a demoralizing tendency altogether subversive of independence and well-doing. I hold likewise that this system does not give us the colonists we stand most m need of. I mean the small farmer, possessed of intelligence, and a little capital to start with. This is the sort of man, who, if the cost of passage was reduced to the same amount as he can get to the United States or to Canada, would prefer coming to this colony entirely at his own expense, both for its climate and situation as an island, and for its English associations. Given these facilities, and I have no doubt we could soon people the Middle Island with hardy and independent colonists. It may be asked, where are we to look for them ? I answer, without meaning to be invidious, that there arc hundreds of men of this class on the north-cast coast of England, who would willingly and gladly pay their own passages for themselves and their families, m preference to going to North America as they can do, but who would look askant on assisted passages, as being a sort of eleemosynary assistance, touching their spirit of independence. This I have good reason to believe is the feeling of those men who people the northeastern seaboard of England — that is to say ancient Northumbria, including the counties lying between the Humber and the Tweed, a race m whom the colonising spirit is in-

herent as fine decendnnts of the old Scandinavian races. Cnptnin Cook born m the North Biding of Yorkshire was one of these, and they are of the race of immigrants we want. The next consideration is to devise measures to bring them out under the conditions I mention. Population we want, for " population is wealth." We have a magnificient estate lying idle, but it is rather a delicate question inasmuch as it touches on Hie squatters' interests, who for many years have monopolised a large amount of our best land for pastural purposes, and whose interest it has been to keep the country from being occupied. It is a question however, which must sooner or later be grappled with — the sooner the better, for it has come to this, whether as colonists, we are to sink or swim — this is the fact, and it is useless blinding it. According to authentic returns, South Canterbury — I am writing avowedly m the interests of South Canterbury — has 4,130,930 acres of land ; of this, there are 440,000 acres of good arable land not sold, and there are 776,219 acres of tirst class grazing land, and 1,352,575 acres of second class grazing land. I This is our estate, what shall we do with it ? It would be better to give the land away and people the country than let it continue to lie idle and unproductive ; self-preservation requiring that something should be done at once to ease our burdens which are far too heavy and increasing. It would really pay to give the land to bonajide settlers, but I myself do not go so far as this for several reasons ; but no thinking man can deny that the time has come to reduce the price of land m this province. If we don't, nothing is more certain than that with the facilities and inducements held out by the Dominion of Canada and the United States, and recently by the Brazilian Government, which have for many years been absorbing about 500,000 immigrants annually from

I Great Britan and Germany, our lands will [ remain a waste and the country stagnant. Any alteration however must be m Buch a way as to prevent any but bonafide setttlers obtaining land, for otherwise the land sharks would step m and reap their harvest at our expense. The system of immigration to this province is simply a farce. It is not colonisation m its true sense, and so far as South Canterbury is concerned, the recent powers vouchsafed to the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works, constitutes it a register office for servants — neither more or less. The authoritities — I mean the Provincial Government — know nothing of the subject, and indeed how is it possible that they can ? Where would they get their experience ? By all means give them credit for the light that is m them, but it is of no use to us. The consequence is, that a pernicious and useless system is continued, and the province is drifting rapidly to leeward. It is to our interests to " cut the painter" and trust to ourselves. ■ Much has been Baid about Mr Fitzherbert's scheme of immigration, some praising, some damning it, for my part I do neither one or the other, but I don't agree with it as far as South Canterbury is concerned. It may be a good plan when better cannot be obtained, but why on earth should we delegate powers to a central Government, who are quite as ignorant on these matters as the Provincial Government — when we can and ought to exercise them ourselves under local control We surely must know here our own interests best. Mr Fitzherbert's scheme at best would be really but a half measure to us ; but half measures are not only mostly useless, but often very mischievous to the cause they profess to assist. Let us insist on managing our own affairs, apportion to South Canterbury its fair share of liabilities, and get rid of Christchurch influences altogether. I am, &c, W. C. Beswick. Timaru, May 17, 1869.