The Evening Star MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2739, 27 November 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1871.

Ls our morning contemporary sutFciing from mental or moral disease ? One or other, or both combined, must have prompted the extraordinary article of Friday morning. What other excuse can be made for such systematic attempts to damage the reputation ot the country from which the Daily 1 hues derives its support! Such an erratic com se strongly reminds us of humorous picture by Hogarth, iu which, in the heat of political pavtizanship, a man is represented cutting down a beam on which he depends for safety and support. Precisely similar in its effects would be the action of the Daily limes , it it were not counteracted by the commonsense views of a majority in Parliament. Bad taste, bad reasoning aiu misrepresentation stand out so prominently in the article we refer to, that we are justified in expressing a fear that the 'distortions arc caused by some malady; a Tyranny of Fancy’s reign, Mechanic fancy, that can build Vast labyrinths and mazes wild, With rule disjointed, shapeless measure,

Fill’d with horror, tilled with pleasure : Shapes of horror that would even Cast doubts of mercy upon heaven. Unfortunately, these freaks of the imagination have been often indulged in, and people are becoming used to them. They would not do much harm were the strict truth adhered to. Men in possession of that can draw their own inferences. But the malady under which our contemporary labors, impels him not only to distorted inferences, but to distort facts. Those who read the article in question will gather, we suppose, that it was intended to prove that New Zealand cannot expect increase of population through immigration ; and that even if immigrants do come, they cannot be supported. As far as we can understand it, it is intended to show that New Zealand is an exceptional country, and that those measures which have proved advantageous every where else, will not succeed here. In order to support this theory, we are treated with an account of the superior advantages that America possesses as a field for immigration. The twist is here very apparent. We are told that America is easy of access, the passage-money being only a trifle —“two or three pounds.” onlyT clieap' fund is to be had. The passage money across the Atlantic paid, the really expensive portion of the journey has to be performed ; and he who expects to land at New Ypr/c and reach a spot of unappropriated land for two or three pounds will find himself like Mark Tapley, grievously out in his reckoning. Or if it is intended to point to advantage to the laborer in the large cities of America, labor competition is little if at all less severe than it is in England. Next, we are informed that “allotments of “ the best agricultural hand along those “ lines of railway are ottered freely to “ all and sundry.” Either this is intended to deceive, or its phraseology is culpably careless. To oiler a thing “ freely,” is to offer to give it, and we undertake to say that no where in the States is laud in such situations procurable on such terms. That there are

reserves of public lands to which a title can be acquired after years of cultivation is true ; but railway companies have, as a rule, possession of the laud for some distance in each side of the line, and they know its value too well, and so do those who want land, to throw it away for nothing. If it ever has been done in the past, it will not be done in time to come. Take as an illustration the following extract fiom an advertisement by the Kansas Pacific Railway Company:—“">,ooo,ooo “ acres of Farming-Laud for sale, si--11 tnated along the line of this Great “ National Railway.” Next as a reason why New Zealand will not become a field for immigrants, we arc treated with a dissertation on over-production and want of a market for pro4,u,ce If our contemporary had tried, he could; not have given better reasons why wc should introduce immigrants freely. We know of no better investment than bringing plenty of people into the country. They must. eat and drink, and have Ironses built for them, and they require furniture and utensils and clothes. Large populations imply ready markets, and the best market is u Home one. No wonder that the peojde are slow to learn that the depression they have suffered from has been partly owing to the stoppage of immigration, when a journalist avlio ought to bo well informed caunot see it. They have no market for their labor, because the supply of these things lias overtaken the demand. We do not imagine that the fears expressed in the article will cause any apprehension in the minds of men of sound judgment, but that is not characteristic of persons suffering from the malady which we fear has taken permanent possession of our contemporary.

We did hope to have had his help in advocating such measures as would have led to the success of the Government plans, although they may bo made to succeed without him. We have before pointed out the damage his mistatsments do, when transmitted beyond the Colony, but experience is no teacher to our contemporary. Even his discomfiture in the Telegraph Libel Case lias not induced caution ; though his reputation must suffer now that the world knows that bubble has burst. Instead of that contrition which siiould have followed the expose, he lias entered upon A new crusade, equally visionary and baseless, and judging from the opening sentence of his article it is but another development of the same disease, which may not inaptly be termed Vogel-phobia.