The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2175, 27 April 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1870

Thebe is not likely to be any lack of work for the Provincial Council during the present session, if all the topics introduced into his Honor’s address are dealt with. In fact, the sketch ot proceedings in it points to dealing with subjects of the highest importance to the welfare of the Province. Nor is there anything chimerical in any one of the questions that must come under consideration ; the only fear is, that the Provincial Council has so fettered itself by its action on the Hundreds Regulations Act as to be unable to provide tlie necessary funds for the purposes required. The first portion of the address points to the amendment of certain Ordinances. As these relate to measures already in operation, the working of which has been found defective, although much time may be required for their due consideration, they involve no new question. Neither will the proposed compulsory Land 'Taking Ordinance, rendered necessary by the exorbitant demands of many

owners of property for strips of land required for the construction of the Port Chalmers Railway, meet with any opposition. Nothing can be move disgraceful than these avaricious graspings of men whose property must be immeasurably increased in value by the forming of the line. Perhaps no one will deny that having bought tho land, they are entitled to be reimbursed the actual value paid for the little strip required, and we trust no jury will give them more. The necessity for legislative action in this matter is so much added to the cost of tho line to the community, and ought to be considered and deducted pro rata when the awards are made. _ It is quite time these nice little jobs by which men profit doubly at the expense of the people should be frowned down as unfair advantages. They point to ignorant land legislation, and to a system of which all such avaricious peddlings might have been guarded against. But the people are not yet prepared to accept the remedy. When they are, it will be too late. The Southern Trunk Railway is next alluded to, and we are glad to see it is likely to be proposed that the Province shall take the matter into its hands. We have before expressed the opinion that, by proper arrangements, this will be the cheapest and best course, and only fear that the ideas of our Provincial councillors are so firmly settled in some old world groove, that they will be unable to grasp anything new, however plain and selfevident to men of business habits. Equally important with railways is the question of Immigration. The Superintendent is quite right in according to it the importance he attaches to it. In itself there is no difficulty,,in seeing the advantages derivable ‘'from it. There is no need of argument to show that without population trade and industry must languish. It is useless for farmers to till the ground if the cost of disposing of their produce in a distant market absorbs the profit; our goldfields must be only partially worked \ our other mineral treasures will lie for other generations to unfold ; and sheep and cattle will be boiled down for their tallow. But no sooner is immigration invited, than up start half a dozen philanthropists pointing to imaginary numbers out of work, and drawing pictures of starvation through the competition of those that are to come, in which those that are here are placed in the foreground. Point out to these that population creats work, and provides wages, and they cry immigration is only a scheme to reduce Avages. Point out to them that wages have ever continued the highest when immigration Avas the most active, they cannot see it. The phantom competition terrifies them. It is impossible to teach them that men are not like snails Avhich carry their houses on their backs and live on the indigenous products of the soil. To provide for a continued stream of immigrants, houses must be built, farms tilled,- sheep and cattle reared. These employments involve the extension of every other industry and thus instead of reducing the amount of individual labor, a continued demand is created. The experience of every country is the same. When through any cause population ceases to increase, competition reduces wages to their loAvest point. Great Britain presents a striking example of this. Combined Avith other causes, such as the curse of the currency, and the blow to commerce and manufactures dealt by the Prussian war, the exodus of population is reducing home consumption to a minimum. Monetary pressure has curtailed the demand in foreign markets and hundreds of thousands are Avanting work. If wc had them constantly coming in here, our bankrupt list Avould be shorter, and all classes Avould be doing well. His Honor in his speech gives the gist of his correspondence Avith the Home Agent on the subject. In the correspondence itself, he is careful to point out the class likely to be successful colonists, and warmed the agent against selecting persons trained as clerks and shopmen. For their services the demand is limited and success problematical. The remainder of the message deals with important questions to which we must at some future time refer.