New Zealand's Opportunity

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 97, 4 February 1893, Page 4

New Zealand's Opportunity

The agricultural depression at Home is increasing instead of decreasing and there seems but little doubt that next year there will be more yeomen and farmers anxious to emigrate than ever. Lord Leicester, writing to the papers, says that many of his best tenants have gone and more are going, some to New Zealand, but the majority to Canada. To exhibit the stern reality of the depression, his lordship publishes the accounts of his Holkham estate in 1842, in 1878, and in 1891. Here in round figures is the net income of the estate on the three dates mentioned :— 1842: £32,810; 1878: £39,564 ; 1891 : £23,467. Even to a man like Lord Leicester the loss of £15,000 a year is no joke, but he would feel fairly easy could he be sure the worst had come. Many landlords in his position are trying to equalize matters by selling real estate at Home and buying it in the Colonies, especially in Canada. Canada, be it noted, derives most of the benefits arising from the conditon of things at Home. If Mr Perceval were allowed to have his war many eligible settlers would no doubt be diverted to New Zealand, but as has again and again been pointed out, whilst the passage rates remain so heavy it is hopeless to expect to attract the small capitalist. Mr Matthews, I see, has been singing the praises of New Zealand by letter to English friends. He said he was delighted with all the colobies, but' New Zealand is the one which seems to have the greatest future before it.