The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1888 PEOPLE FOR THE LAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1867, 14 June 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1888 PEOPLE FOR THE LAND.

The land for the people and the people for the land is not a cry of yesterday. It was made years ago, and if we wish to see New Zealand raised from her present depression it must be reiterated with renewed vigor. Encouragement must bo given to settlers, who are bona fide colonists, and who have m view the hope of the colony's success as an agricultural settlement. Settlers with Borne little capital must be induced to take up the open lands and develop the country before prosperity can be assured. The immigration we should like to see would not be laborers to compete with what we have, but men who could employ labor — men whose substance would be invested m land who would require to employ labor to yield a return, and whose enterprise would be directed to the making m this colony a homo for themselves and their descendents. Until a population is settled m the country and manufactures started under the influence of Protection, ' no order , of statesmanship or Government ia likely to effect the reformation of the colony from the darkness and heaviness of commercial depression to tho bright light of an industrious, thriving, prosperous and wealthy community. The heaviest part of our produce at present goes to pay interest on our public and .private indebtedness, whereas had we double the population, the amount of taxation per j individual would be lower, and there would be a larger production to go towards reducing colonial indebtedness. The great natural wealth of the colony can only be utilised and made profitable by the advent of men with enterprise, with energy, with money and with the business capacity to use al) these m the right direction.