The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3830, 25 October 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1883.

A short paragraph, clipped from the Pall Mall Gazette, and republished in our yesterday's issue, gave some information concerning the acquisi I ion of lands in the United States by English noblemen and capitalists. In addition to estates bought for private occupation,, vast areas of land have been acquired by companies for speculative purposes, that is to say, to sell again to intending bona fide settlers. The ease with which land can be purchased from the States Government, and its cheapness, to say nothing of the enormous extent of unoccupied country, arc of course the attractive features of America as a field for immigration. While we in Now Zealand at great expense have only succeeded in adding to the population of tho colony by about. 100,000 souls since 1871, America, at no expense whatever, has attracted to her shores in the last five years close upon two million seven hundred thousand immigrants. This increase to her population is reckoned to add to the wealth of tho States five hundred millions sterling. Thus labor and capital flow together towards a country that can offer an attraction to both employors and employees. Commenting on this fact the Christchurch Press asks— AVhy is it that there is such an enormous flow of population to that country compared with that to the British colonies? The answer is not far to scok. In the first place, America is within easy reach of Europe, and the passage money is consequently small. Next, every inducement is offered to new arrivals to try their fortunes in the country by giving them facilities to settle on the land. Australasia, on the other hand, is distant, and the passage costly, whjle the facilities for acquiring land are not so great But this is not the only cause. Unfortunately, in some of these colonies there is a great desire to mako experiments in land legislation. In New Zealand, especially, the influence of this stato of things is beginning to bo felt. ■ Tho" Agent-General hi a recent despatch pointed this out very clearly. Speaking of tho pastoral deferrod payment land, ho wrote, " There can hardly be a doubt that the knowledge of there, being a, chance cf acquiring such land would havo attraction for farmers accustomed to keep sheep on the hill farms of tho North ; but this" bare knowledge is of no use to them tmless the Agent-General can tell them precisely what they havo an opportunity of getting. Nor is that enough unless lie can add to that information some reasonable aseurauco of stability in tho laud law. It is

the instability of that land law that is tho real mischief; and, after a year's experience and close application, I do not hesitate to say that, if there is ono thing more than another that deters people of tho fanner class here from going out, it is that no one can feel sure of the land law remaining for two sessions the same, nor can an intending colonist rely upon being able to make an investment which would not bo immediately affected by some new agitation for a change." The Press adds that it is well known that the recent tinkering with our land laws, and the constant demand ou tho p.ut of a section of the public to treat landowners as criminals, tend to discom-.ig-e settlement of the best kind. The people of the United States take quite a different view of the value of foreign capital. There every oncouragement is given to men with means to acquire land and settle on it. It is no crime in the United States to own an estate, or to drain or otherwise prepare it forbenoficial occupation, and people who do so aro not treated as public enemies. On the contrary, they are looked upon as public benefactors.