THE CHURCH SETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 25, 12 October 1848, Page 4

THE CHURCH SETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.

[From the Times, May 23.] We have frequently expressed our surprise that among the great and men, the splendid fortunes, and the many philantropic projects to be found in this cour.trv, there has not yet been any attempt at a s- stematic emigration wortiiv of the national character and resources. So uatural wid obvious appears such a that the absence of it argues an almost jnd<c>al blindness. No country in the world spends more in public and priva f e chari'y. Our poor-rates a-nouut t«i the reveuue of a considerab'e State, whi e numberless religious and benevolent societies al us houses, aylums, and institutions* for every age, sex, and condition of calamity, spend princely incomes. The efficiency of aU these institutions, national or voluntary, is miserably curtailed for mere want of spacr. We want room for growing poveriy. The heart of the nation does its work, and i« evjr diffusing life, energy, and warmth to the languid extremities, but the human circulation is tbroxn back upon the overcharged vitals of the State. Humanity and even intelligence have to fight against increasing odds of destitution. In such a state of things, it is a wonder, or lather a madness, that the true British instinct doe* not breik loose from the narrow limits in which it is cribbpd and cabined in these isles, and take a wider range over our unparalleled colonial empire. Providence shows that emigration is the mission of this country. "We said a 1 this before three hundred thousand poor creatures were drifted by the blast of famine across the Atlantic within seven or eight months. We have said it when there seemed little hope that we should ever be listened to. We repeat it now, when there does appear some sign that England is remembering her duty. A very distinguished body of noblemen and gentle, men, including many members of the Episcopal bench, have given their names as a nucleus of a society for "systematic colonization." In another column our readers will find a circular giving the outlines of their design. It is an attempt to plant in the desert an actuai offshoot of English society, the exact resemblance of the parent stem. Nothing can be more patriotic «r more rational on the principles of the British constitution. That constitution teaches u» that the energies ut the British race are developed to their greatest and most genuine excellence by a certain high state of organi** zatioo; It implies that we do not thrive well in an equal and undistinguished crowd. If that constitution is necessary, our colonies are sadly deficient. If the colonies have all that Englishmen require, then we have much that is superfluous at home. % e are, therefore, forced to admit the propriety of tbe present design, which is merely an appeal to Englithmen as Englishmen. We are unwilling to believe it impossible, because an unfavourable result would seem to indicate that the characteristics of British society are not so spreading, so vivacious, so hardy, aud elastic as we had supposed. . , When a beginniag is once made it will find many friends. For example, a gentleman wishes to give a poor fellow a chance. What can lie do ? He cannot afford to take the man into his service, as he cannot employ girueners, grooms, or guuickeepers ad injiniturn. He cannot set the man up in a farm or shop, and were he to make an attempt it would probably co«t him a hundred pounds, and fail in the end. Withjut, however, some sort of assistance the best luloarer in England, in the southern counties, must take his chance in the labour market, where 9*. or It's, a week is as muchjas he am expect. Everybody who has iried to betrieud the poor will tell the same story. The difficulty begins from ti.e earliest Take the be*i boy in the parish—what can you do for him i Kveiy trade is over stocked and in any trade a responsible master will ask £3O or more with an apprentice, beside other expenses. You cannot take the boy into your household where it is piobabe you already more Wb than enough. rhen» are only examplts uf a difficulty experienced by eveiy person who hvts among the poor and feels for thur i L'iraitened coudiiui:. It U UU3 the rural parishes do

our out their "surplus" They feed the towns. But this is not a satisfactory account to give of those who have been brought up ia the purer atmosphere, as we are wont to think it, of a country village. What other outlet is there i Emigration. A conscientious person, however, and especially a clergyman, will hesitate before he helps to send any one he cares for ! beyond the reach of those religious advantages he enjoys in this countty. A systematic enrgration, therefore, on reli<ious principles, is that which the vv»nts of an over-flowing popu'ation and the feelings of the kindhearled point to 03 the great of the . We a»*ume, uf course, that the distinguished persons who have given their names to the design will also give their attention to it. It is not an easy undertaking. Colouits are amon? the greatest works of man, and requi c as much talent and devotion as the government of an empire. We only assert that there exist the material, the occasion, and the demand for such a work. We cannot read our own columus without having this truth painfully forced upon our notice. Let anybody compete two narratives in our paper this dey. In the one he will read of a poor creature trying to drown herself and her child, in order to escape by an easier death the pangs of hunger which a whole family was suffering from want of emplovmeut. In the other he will read of work standing still and prop-rfv going to tuin in a British settlement for want of the very commonest class of labour, lu Australia last December, "the Pentonville people'' were " greedily hired." ami the domestic servants were not to be procured nt the most exorbitant wages. The poor girl who threw herself into the Surrry-canal last mon'h with her chi'd in her arms would thtre hive the opportunity of redeeming her character and living a life of usefulness and comfort. There is a part of the design on which we shall be expected to say a word. The original m a tnbers of the proposed settlement are to be al*o " b «a fiilc members of ihe Church of England." Nobody can object to the Church of England eslaMishmsr a settlement. There are Moravian settlements, Wtsleyan *e'Mements, and Roman Catholic settlements. In Cauadi, as well as in ihe United States, there are man* other religious communities established in comparative isolation. N<w England wis found-d by the Pi'g'im Fathers, who were *e r y strong religionists, and nihnini«»ered the affairs of th° se'tlemfnt with no li'tle bigotry. Let the experiment be tried. Should Dissenters feel anv jealousy at the design, we shall be glad to Fee them following the example, and so runuing a rscs of colonial ambition. It is scarcely nce'wy to oh. Ferve, that the settl-ment once fnnodid, ar.d the Churchman once settled, either as proprietor or tenant he will be under the projection of the British hws, and will be free to worshin his Maker a<? his conscience shall require. His obligation* to the Church of England bli-.11 be of the most volant-try character. If meetinghouses gprin? up in the hra-t of the settlement, they must be closed by arcu-nent, i>*>t force. We do not therefore, regard this feature of the plan with any great apprehension. The Churchmarship of the colonist's will tnuinlv depend on the fidehtv t»nJ ron'istent lives of the cl rgymen sent ovt with them ; we are no*, therefore, offeudinc against our great consiitutionai j-rincii.al of Toleration when we hope that t!iey and their children will long reward the zeal uf their picus benefactors.