IMMIGRATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3193, 15 May 1873, Page 3

IMMIGRATION.

In view of Sir F. D. Bell’s proposed resolutions on the subject of immigration, which he will biiug under the notice of the Provincial Council when the Ministerial crisis is over, the following remarks by the Press will not ho out of place : Our Provincial Executive were fairly taken aback on Thursday evening by the news they received from the General Government. The Agent-General’s telegram came as opportunely as the famous one which Mr Vogel produced at the Intercolonial Conference, announcing that Mr Webb had carried his Subsidy Bill. The speech which the Provincial Secretary had doubtless prepared for the occasion was ribbed of its point. He had no resource but to move the postponement of his resolutions ; and so the Council, much to its embarrassment, in place of the expected dbcussion on immigration, found itself prematurely summoned to follow Mr Maskcll into an education debate. But the question now before the Provincial Council is, what shall bo done with Mr Kcnnawny’s resolution? We really think it might he al’owed to drop. Of course the Council will pass a resolution expressing in strong terms their sense of the inadequacy of the steps taken by the General Government, and of the injury thereby inflicted on the interests of the Province. It is very nectary that they should do that. But the rest of the motion, about the establishment of a Provincial immigration agency, and the I .HO, 000, might surely be omitted. The Council must see on reflection the folly of setting up an agency to compete with that established by the Colonial Government over the same ground, and for the same purpose. Aml as for the 150,000, the General Government arc in no want of funds. Jf their operations have been too restricted, it has not been from any scantiness in their resources What is really wan ed is., that public opinion should be brought to bear on the Government, so as to convince them tuat the people are veritably anxious for immigration, and will make a point of having it. Hitherto there has been no sufficient indication of public feeling in the matter. No attempt has been made to quicken the ta 1 dy movements of the Govt rnm< nt. --o ad dresses have been presented; no public meetings hold. Nay, the electors do not even exercise their right of i' the ncing the Government through their representatives. Timaru, for instance, perhaps more than any part of Canterbury nerds immigration. Yet, when Mr Stafford was down therein February, and the electors had the opportunity of calling his attention to the subject, it was scarcely so much as m-utioned. The case was the same at Mr lleevs’s meeting at Leeaton ; and so also it has been at similar meetings in Otago—at SirD, Monro’s, at Mr Reid’s, at Sir F. D. Bell’s, at Mr Bathgate’s. If then the people want immigration vigor usly conducted, they should speak out. There is ho reason for remodTling the present system, or for setting up local agencies The one General Agency is perfec'ly sufficient for all purposes ;it only neds to bo properly worked. Lot the Provincial Councils send up strong remonstrances, and the constituencies give their representatives to understand that immigration mint and shall be attended to no less than railways. There will soon he a marked improvement. In this as in other things the Government will reflect the disposition of the public If the people arc in earnest the administration will be efficient. But when they appear so careless of their own interests, they can hardly be surprised if the Government treat them with equal indifference.