Mr George Fisher, M.H.R.

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 15, 16 July 1885, Page 3

Mr George Fisher, M.H.R.

In his speech in the financial debate Mr George Fisher said:—"ls it not pitiful that a country like this, with aixty-six millions of acres of land — sixteen millions of it fair agricultural country—should be peopled by half a million of souls ? To.me it seems one of the saddest things possible. What we want in order to develop the country and to assist us to bear this extremely heavy burden of taxation is an increase of population. But upon this point, of course, one has to be extremely guarded. The Marquis of Salisbury, in a recent speech delivered in Wales, speaking of the necessity of relieving the large centres ofthe United Kiugdom of theircongested population, suggested that they should be sent out to the colonies. That is not the sort of population we want. We have already a sufficient number of peoplo in our cities aud towns What we want is an agricultural and industrial population; and I trust the Minister of Lands—of whose administration I am bound to speak in the highest possible terms, for, to my mind, he is the best administrator in the Government—will devote his attention to tho opening-up of the lands ofthe country, so that we may, within a reasonable time, have a large population located in the interior ofthe country. We do not want any system of immigration which.will add to the population of our already - too - thickly - inhabited towns. But I hope the honourable gentleman will not relax his efforts in the &ra**tion ef forming special settlements, and in .opening lip agricultural areas far the settlement of the people on the land; for in that way, and in that way only, can we make provision for the introduction of a population which will assist us to. bear the extremely heavy, the grinding, taxation already placed upon' the shoulders of the people.