The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3513, 27 May 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1874

"V\ ■- learn by the telegrams from San F ancisco that placards are being posted in different parts of En gland,*containin.;’ a statement to the effect that America is no longer a suitable field for emigration, and that 40,000 people in America are anxiously looking out for an opportunity to return to England. If this is really the case, and there seems to be no reason for doubting that it is, it is certain that we shall be greatly benefited by the withdrawal from competition in the labor market of one of our most formidable rivals. This, amongst other things, should lead us to consider whether we are not actually making ourselves too cheap—doing far more than is necessary in the way of inducing an inferior class of emigrants to choose New Zealand as their destination. We admit most fully that the present influx of immigrants is by no means too great. There is room in New Zealand for all that are likely to come here ; but we very much question whether the Colony could not do better without than with the sort of people that are induced to emigrate, merely because they can do so for nothing. No one can help seeing that the people that are now being introduced into the Colony are of a very different stamp from those who came here under the old system. In short, we are getting quantity rather than quality. The problem to be solved is, how are we to obtain a constant influx of population, in considerable numbers, and of the light stamp ? How are we to increase the number of our tax-payers, without just draining the gutters and moral cesspools of the Old Country 1 There are more difficulties in the way of our doing this than may at first sight appear. Unfortunately, honest and industrious people are needed everywhere. The very best class of working-men are nearly as much wanted at Home as they are here. Home interests conflict with ours in this matter. The old countries are only too willing to get rid of their criminal and pauper population, but these are not what we require. The people that would suit us are the very flower of the nation; with these very naturally the Old Country is unwilling to part. Unfortunately, too, for us, the emigration of any part of a certain class has a tendency to prevent the emigration of the remainder of that class when a certain limit has been reached. The exodus of a large number of agricultural JauurciD, IU, 7 , V the Home supply of such laborers; their wages would rise, and there would consequently be less and less inducement for the remainder to emigrate. These difficulties, however, are insuperable, and we mention them only to show that, if the emigration agents at Home have not been so successful as we could wish in inducing the right class of people to come to New Zealand, we must not be too censorious, or blame them for that part of.their failure which is caused by the very nature of things. At the same time it is impossible to acquit those who have gone to unions and workhouses to find part of the materials out of which a great nation is to be made, of being guilty either of gross folly or of inordinate cupidity—a desire to get capitation fees at all risks, and make the thing pay. Like very many other things,, the Immigration Scheme is not capable of being made perfect. We may believe that it is quite impossible for us to get as many immigrants as we want, and at the same time to have them of exactly the right stamp ; but we may, at any rate aim at approaching indefinitely near the desired standard in both respects. The plan that has lately been proposed seems more likely to answer than any previous one j we mean, of course, the . combination. of the free and nominated systems the granting of free passages to those only who have been nominated by persons in the Colony. There would be thus a satisfactory guarantee, at all events, that the persons nominated were considered by somebody to be worth sending for. Besides, it is to be supposed that generally the most presentable of a given person’s friends or acquaintance would be the ones that he would nominate —those who would be most likely to do him credit. On the whole, we may conclude that.the class who would be by these means induced to emigrate to New Zealand would be much better worth having, than many of those who have come here under the system of giving . free passages indiscriminately. At the same time, there can be no doubt that there will be a very considerable accession to our numbers from the class of people who are able and willing to pay their passage money, or part of it, and who would have gone, under ordinary circumstances, to America, but will now be induced to select some other country. No effort should be spared by Dr Eeatherston to recommend New Zealand to these people as a suitable field for emigration.