NEW ZEALAND AT HOME.

Evening Star, Issue 3289, 4 September 1873, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND AT HOME.

The Birmingham Daily Post has recently thrown open its correspondence column to tho question of the fitness of New Zealand as a place for emigrants. The ball was opened by “New Zealand,” who wrote : “ In the course of the two years I was in the country I came across nearly every one I had known on board ship, and the tale was always the same, ‘ Oh, why did I leave Home ?’ I never knew but one exception to this rule, and that was the case of a young man who went out as shepherd, and obtained a first-class situation behind a counter. This is the only case I know of any of the 400 and odd people who went out with me as emigrants but what wished themselves back at Home. The country there is in a dreadful state as to work, excepting in the shearing aud harvesting time ; about three or four months literally nothing to do. Certainly, now and then, when ‘ bailing down’ takes place on a station (that is, after the runholder has been fined for keeping scabby sheep, and has to keep his run clear for three years, and not wishing or not being able to dispose of his sheep, makes them into this preserved meat, that is now so much the rage), there is employment for thirty or forty men for a short time ; but I venture most positively to assert it now (it being winter), that in the Province of Canterbury there are thousands of people worse off than can possibly be imagined in England, except by those who have been there ; and yet the cry is ‘ Send more emigrants.’ ” Of course, this model emigrant, who makes so pleasant a hash of “boiling down” and meat-pre-serving, was not allowed to hare things his own way. R, Davis, writing from Gloucester, says;— “l received a letter from a

relative (June 30, 1873) in Wales, enclosing one from my sister, who is living near Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, and who, after eleven years’ residence there, speaks of her past and present experience and future prospects in most satisfactory terms. Knowing her to be one whose word can be relied on. judge o ! my surprise when I read in the Post the letter of your correspondent, who signs himself ‘New Zealand.’ That he speaks truly when he says, ‘ everything that could possibly be done to make the voyage pleasant was done,’ I certainly believe. That L3O a-year was offered to a strong ablebodied farm man is, I think, equally true, for it is a well-known fact that L4O a-year and upwards, together with lodging and rations, are freely given to any sober, industrious, intelligent, able-bodied farm laborer. But that a shepherd should obtain a first-class situation behind a counter is, to my mind, doubtful, unless indeed it was a bar counter, where the shepherd could show his first-rate ability to draw beer. And as regards the scabby sheep, the boiling them down, and making them into ‘this preserved meat that is so much the rage,’ I may venture to say that it is not true.” “ E.G.S., lately of New Zealand,” followed, and wrote thus: “ The writer ‘ New Zealand’ admits the shortness of his stay in New Zealand, and as to a colonist it is evident that his experience is also limited, the letter would seem to be the ‘ growl ’ of a ‘ new chum;’ a term applied to new arrivals, who, of course, have to gain their Colonial experience at the expense possibly of a little ‘ roughing ’ it at first, for which all emigrants should be prepared, The classes that are more especially wanted in the Colony are laborers, agricultural and others, and female servants ; to the former, at the present moment, I believe the New Zealand Government are offering assisted, and to the latter free passages. Any colonist will tell you that the demand for these exceeds the supply, and, speaking from personal observation of the arrival of many emigrant ships, 1 can safely assert the classes I have mentioned have secured good situations, and will yet secure them within a few days after landing. Some emigrants who are not wanted, viz., clerks and such like, on landing, as a rule go to hotels, and whilst seeking employment in the towns, expend their money, and being obliged to do something, go ‘up the country,’ and, although without any experience of bush or station life, are surprised to find themselves at a discount.”