The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2355, 19 October 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1870.

In that beautiful comedy “ Caste,” produced last week at the Princess Theatre, one of the most pleasing and natural features in the picture of life it pourtrays is the feeling of family honor. The spirit of the daughter will not brook, even from the lips of her lover, condemnation of the vices of her drunken father. Herself free from vice—a charming representation of a kindly-hearted, high-spirited, out-spoken girl—she will not hear him evil-spoken of without defending him, notwithstanding the truth of what is uttered against him. Su# a woman would scorn to have listened to falsehoods intended to detract from the mei-its even of a rival; and it is a pity that so noble a spirit cannot be introduced into our every-day life and politics. It is by no means incompatible with faith-

fulness to our own people. It is easily conceivable that Polly Eccles could have roundly rated her father for his intemperance, and given him a startling moral lecture, although she would not allow a stranger to spreak disparagingly of a member of her family. But let us imagine for a moment what would have been her conduct if, instead of having to defend a maudlin drunkard against a truthful condemnation, she had had to repel falsehood against an able and worthy man. If the falsehood had originated in mistake, she would have set it right, firmly and decidedly; if it was intended to damage the fair fame of another, one can imagine her rising in indignation and saying in scorn— I hate the man who builds his name On mins of another’s fame. We have drawn attention to this character because we should like to see its spirit adopted by the New Zealand Press. Banded together as we colonists are for a common purpose, we cannot see what end is to be gained by continually parading before the world misrepresentations of the social, moral, and political condition of the Colony. Although we who have come hither from abroad cannot be expected to have the same attachment to the Colony as to the land of our birth, there are those growing up amongst us who may one day say : Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land ; Whose heart hath ne’er within him burn’d As home his footsteps he hath turn’d From wandering on a foreign strand ? It is for us, the pioneers, to prepare this land for the affection of future generations. But how can we expect to make it the prosperous place it may become, if we strive to thwart every honest effort made—first, by misrepresenting rulers, measures and men—and secondly, by not correcting as far as possible those misconceptions which are formed of them in other lands 1 We could excuse Mr Grant for maundering about public men, and putting misconstructions upon their words and works. They are his stock-in-trade. Take them from him, and his precarious Jiving would be gone. But we have a right to look for higher considerations from the Daily Times. And when a Melbourne paper attributes words to one Minister, uttered by another, and the Times copies the article evidently to endeavor to detract from the merits of the Treasurer, the matter cannot be allowed to rest. Its duty was to set the question right by quoting his words, so that no misapprehension might exist; and although we have an objection to acting as Mentor to our contemporary, we should fail in our duty were we to allow the fault to pass. For the sake of comparison, we place the quotation paraded by the Times side by side with Mr Vogel's words ; .just observing that it was Mr Stafford’s notion of railway-making, not Mr Vogel’s, that is alluded to. The Daily Times Mr Vogel said in quotes thus from the his Financial StateMelbourne Daily ment;— “I might Teleyrnph :—“ Mr detain you for hours Vogel, the Treasurer in discussing the of New Zealand, and question of immigrathe author of the tion in its various National Immigra- aspects. It is essention scheme about to tially one of the be tested there, sees, greatest questions of we may hope, the the day—a question Canadian papers, he- of t ansferring fo cause Canada has re- lands sparsely popucently been the scene lated portions of the of National Emigra- excessive populations tion schemes, and of old countries. We the Press gives some ought, in dealing with curious particulars of this question, to rethe result. Mr Vogel collect that it is reexpects the twenty garded from opposite or thirty thousand points by the country people he is to intro- parting with, and duce per annum will that which is receivtake twelve months’ ing, the population, employment on the In the one case, the railways at 30s per desire is natural to week, and then settle part with the worst, down into iudustri- in the other to obtain ous producers. He the best, portion of will have, wc arc the population. A afraid, to get a very class of persons may different class of men be introduced to the from the individuals Colony than which England has gencr- even the convict ously shipped to Ca- element would be nada. The Toronto scarcely more detriGlohe describes the mental. 1 allude to immigration sheds as the refuse population being thronged with of largo towns and ‘lazy chiiracters, ’ who cities, composed of will not accept a job beings hopelessly disat a. reasonable rate eased body and of remuneration, but mind, deficient in all prefer to spend their capacity for useful time in loafing. Our labor, vagrant and contemporary doubts idle alike by habit very much whether and inclination, pauGovernmcnt immi- pers by profession, grants are the right and glorying in being men to develope the so. You could not resources of a Colony, subject those beings and is positive that to the discipline to they will lower the which convicts might moral tone of the be subjected ; they community. Canada would be jjnt only indeed appears to themselves burdens want what Victoria to the Slate, but wants—namely, ac- they would be fruittive and enterprising ful sources of corrupmen, gifted with a tion to others. It is facility of resources; painful to have to men of willing bands, make reflections of temperate habits, and this kind ; but it is brave hearts, coming due to the Colonists here to found homes, that they should be rather than make for- assured that tlje Gqtunes. And these are vernment have their men England is no attention directed to

way inclined to part the possible porniwith. They are fish cious use to which which come not with- the agitation at Home in the meshes of any for emigration may Government charity end. We do not net, no matter with hesitate to declare what care it may be that if, as has been spread. The immi- proposed, the Impegrants Mr Vogel is rial Government ensure to get, and ter upon the task of whom Mr Veroon directly exporting a ■would get if he be- portion of the idle came a fisher of men, masses, the Colonial are the failures of the Parliaments will have community, of whom to jealously watch Canada has sickened the class of persons already. And Mr sent out, and, if Vogel, and others needs be, by legislation Mr Vogel— the tion to prevent the whole Vogel family Colonies from being —may barn from Ca- converted into recepnada that an idle, fades for the worst dirty, and loafing form of refuse popuman is not made in- lation.” dustrious and capable of supporting himself by simply transporting him across an ocean.”