SOUND PRINCIPLES OF COLONIZATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 10, Issue 618, 13 June 1866, Page 4

SOUND PRINCIPLES OF COLONIZATION.

It is considerably more than twenty years since Edward Gibbon Wakefield propounded his theory of colonization the basis of which was, that land is valueless unless occupied, and that the t land itself should bear the burden of procuring population. The colony on which the experiment was first tried, was, we think, South Australia, and, making allowance for some unavoidable reverses at the commencement, the experiment has ultimately proved a success. The land was '• sold at an upset price, and a portion of the proceeds appropriated for immigration purposes, so that capital was always accompanied with the labour necessary to render it productive. Each purchaser of an eighty acre block had the privilege of nominating one immigrant or more, with his family, whose passage was paid for out of the land. By this means a respectable class of labourers were introduced, because the employer had the power ef selection, and exercised discrimination in his choice. The result is, that the colony of South Australia is occupied by a prosperous and industrious population, who are successfully continuing to develop the resources of the' country. Indeed, it is an eminent example of success. Can we say the same of our own province, or of the wisdom which, with a view of populating the country, gives away the land, and secures a tide of immigration by borrowing money ? Possibly the resources of the two colonies are not equal. Greater difficulties face the agriculturist. Carriage *is more costly, and the land requires more culture. Still, water carriage, which is the cheapest way of all carriage, or which ought to be the cheapest, is easy in almost every direction. If, however, we are ever to resume our exports of farm produce, or indeed to supply ourselves with what we require without getting it from abroad, coast freights must come down. Labour is rapidly sinking to rates which farmers can afford to give, and we hope soon to see food cheaper, farmers and coasting vessels busier, and most of what we require produced by ourselves. To this we must come at last, if we are to live at all, and the sooner we are independent of foreign supplies, the better. We shall come to this, that the necessaries of life must be so cheap that the labourer can aflbrd to pay for them ; the price of labour must come within the ability of the farmer to pay him, and he again must be able to sell so cheap that it will not pay to import them from abroad. Only then shall we be truly living in safety and true prosperity only then will good times come again.—Auckland 1 Penny Journal.’

The following instance of taking time is given in the ‘ Pall Mall Gazette’ for January:—“ln a case tried before the Judge Ordinary, reported in last week’s papers, a wife gives evidence that her busband put her into an omnibus on the 15th of October, 1863, saying that he £ should be home to dinner,’ and that he had not yet returned. This reminds us of a bit of dialogue in a novel now in course of pnblicacation in ‘La Slecto.’ £ Where is your husband ?’ says a gentleman. ‘He went out to buy a cigar,’ replies the lady. ‘ Has he . been gone long?’ asks the gentleman. ‘ Eighteen years,’ replies the lady. ‘He is quite right,’ remarks the gentleman philosophically, £ he wants to choose a good one.’ ”