EMIGRATION, TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 27, 1 November 1873, Page 11

EMIGRATION, TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, — It is a matter of surprise to many to see you recommending the Irish people to direct their course to some other country rather than to seek a home in this land of our adoption. You must have very strong reasons impelling you to such a course, let. You ought to know that the climate here is better than that of Ireland; and that Irish people could seek a home no where south of the line, where they would be more likely to possess good health than in this Province of Otago. 2nd. The labor market here ia ever asking for fresh hands ; and in no part of the Southern Hemisphere are wages better. To me it is evident, (but of course, I will not ask you, Mr Editor, to change views), that if men be careful and industrious, they will be sure to be respected, to realize competency, and before many years to see themselves the owners of happy homesteads, even though they may have arrived here penniless. There are many, who came here without a farthing to spare just a few years since, now the owners of broad acres, contented and independent, and in such positions, as they could not dream of in early youtu. How did they accomplish that ? By industry and sobriety, exercised on a truitful soil. The land is good, the climate is good, and in most cases — owing to the salubrity of the climate — the general health of the community is excellent. I admit we have many wet and cold days, even weeks here in Otago ; yet it ought to be remembered that all was not sunshine at home. The green fields of Ireland are loved by the Irish, and may their love of their native land ever grow stronger; but I doubt no 5, if many at home got the opportunity of experienceing the advantages of living in this fair land of ours, they would not love the less ardently. It is an excellent trait in the character of any people to love the land of their birth, and their forefathers, yet with all that devotion, I think it is the duty of every colonist to love more ardently the land of his adoption. I mnst admit, I do not like to hear one word uttered to discountenance immigration to this, my adopted home. Mr Editor, you seem to feel keenly the apparent reluctance of the promoters of the immigration scheme to seek for Irish emigrants. Perhaps those concerned fancy they are right. It appears that now the Minister of Immigration seems desirous of getting the Irish out here. Would it not be well to help him, instead of thwarting him ? If, as your leader of last Saturday would imply, it is not good for the Irish to come here, owing to the peculiar circumstances of tke case, and the antipathy of those in power, then, I fancy, you ought to be thankful to the Agent-General for not getting them to come. You seem at first sight to admit that it would be well they came only for the intolerence and dislikes of those in power ; and that because of that intolerence you recommend the Irish to stay away. With great respect, Mr Editor, for your sounder judgment, I am of opinion that since the prejudiced wish to keep the Irish out, they ought to make the greater efforts to come here. No stronger proof could be offered to any people to induce them to come to this country than the desire of those who dislike them to prevent their coming. If it be a fact, then, that the Agent-General was opposed to Irish immigration, or that the Government only want to get a few, or a pro rata number, intending immigrants ought to know that this is the very phwe for them. If it were not excellent, others would not be making an effort to keep it for those of their own native land. You say better for the Irish to stay at home. I say so too, but emigrate they will, and, therefore, I would say to them come here. No doubt for Irish Catholics there are many difficulties — many obstacles in the way of educating their children, and rearing them in accordance with Catholic doctrines ; many dangers to which the youth of this young community are exposed, from which there would be an escape at home ; but it must be remembered that, if these Irish Catholic* go to the United States of America or ot Canada, they and their children will have a great deal with which to contend there, similar to the many obstacles with which tho3e of their lace and faith ha-ve to battle here. In Otsgo, a3 well as in the other provinces of the colony, there are secular, Godless, and sectarian schools — principally here, iv Otago, these sec» tarian schools are Presbyterian — in fact, as those professing Presbyteriaui^m were the first to come into this district, they have seized the government and management of the province ; and they tax all other portions of the commuuity to support Presbyterian schools. Of these schools Catholic 3 cannot avail themselves, without running the imminent danger of having the faith of their children tampered with ; and the boobs in the schools are still Presbyterian in tone and teaching, a.id are full of virulence against the Catholic faith. No doubt there is a promise on the parb of the Board of Education to remove these books, but they are to be replaced by books purely secular and Godless, scarcely ever mentioning the name of God, and that only at in some scraps of poetry. Then all the teachers must be Protestant, and tor the most part they ate of the Presbyterian denomination ; and one of their principles appears to be to enlighten their benighted Catholic neighbours. Hence many of them fancy it a duty to instruct Catholic children in Presbyteri-in notions, and to show them what they call " the errors of popery." The difficulties to be met with hern, in Otago, on account of this state of things, aye discouragiug to those whose greatest treasure is their iaith. But to ray mind the way to meet the difficulty is nob by leaving those at present suifering under the Otago system unaided, but by bringing larger numbers to aid m bearing the double burden of educating the Presbyteritius, for which the Government unjustly toses the Catholics, and to join together to help in educating their own children in accordance with their principles and the Catholic doctrine. As they can have plenty of work and pay, they can struggle to accomplish both these tasks, until v more liberal spirit shall seize the Otago Government, and make them cease doing the Catholics a gross injustice. — You* s, &c, A. August 21, 1573. [Our correspondent gives us the following extract froiu the London l Times ' regarding a field for emigration to New Zealand, which has been studiously ignored by Dr Featherston :—": — " Irish Emigration Statistics. — From a return sent in by the General Register Olfice, Dublin, it appears that 29,577 males and 20,005 females emigrated from Ireland during the first six months of 1872, and 35,150 males

and 24,990 females during the corresponding period of 1872. The total emigration from Ireland since the Ist of May, 1851, the dato at which the collection of these returns at the several Irish ports commenced, to the 30th of June, 1873, is stated to be 2,222,756 persons."]