The Globe. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 757, 23 November 1876, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1876.

Some little time since tlie Hon Mr Scotland, a member of the Legislative Council residing in Taranaki, earned for himself a somewhat unenviable notoriety by endorsing the mis-state-ments of Mr J. GL S. Grant. It appears as if so illustrious an example has evoked a spirit of emulation in Taranaki. In Reynolds' Newsyaper of September 17th we find a letter signed Henry Williams, and headed “ A Yoice “ from New Zealand.” The letter is written with a view of preventing any of the [working class emigrating to the colony, and gives a most gloomy picture of the state of things here. In order fully to understand the effect of such a letter, it must be remembered that the journal in question is essentially a working man’s paper. It »irculates by thousands throughout the length and breadth of the land. Any statement therefore inserted in it, more especially with reference to the subject of emigration, obtains the widest possible publicity. Such publicity would not be objectionable if the statements made were true, but when gross misrepresentations are thus put before the working men at home, it becomes time to take notice of them. Had Mr Williams’ statements been confined to the particular locality of Taranaki, we should not have thought it worth while to call attention to them. So far as anything relating to that portion of the colony is concerned, we are not able to speak as to whether Mr Williams is correct or not in what he says. But when we find this gentleman, publishing as he has done, a most unfounded statement regarding the Province of Canterbury, we feel it our duty to give it an unqualified denial. We quote from Mr Williams’s letter the following sentence referring to this province : “ last week published a telegram from “ Christchurch, Canterbury (supposed “ to be the most prosperous province “ in the colony), which ran as follows: —‘ Things are usually dull here at this “ ‘ time of the year, but there is cer- “ ‘ tainly more distress prevailing now “ ‘ than was ever known to exist “ ‘ before. Not less than two hundred “ * men applied this day for work at “ * the Government office.’ We are “ not told whether any of them were “ employed or not, but, from what I “ know of other places, I think I may “ safely say they were not.” It is scarcely necessary for us to observe that the statement regarding the application of men at the Government Buildings is to a great extent untrue. It is almost impossible to calculate the injury done to the province as a field for immigration by such mis-statements being circulated at home. So far from there being any permanent distress, the power of absorption of the large number of immigrants sent during last year and this has been extraordinary. Ship-load after shipload have arrived, only to be almost immediately engaged at fairly remunerative rates. Many of these arrived at a season when the demand for labour is not usually so brisk as at others, yet we hear of no complaints of distress or want of work. A few months ago a few men may have been out of employment, but it was only temporarily. Looking at the rapidity with which the immigrants were despatched, some little inconvenience and inability to obtain work might have been looked for, but no such thing occurred ; all, or nearly all, found employment readily, if not at the price their imagination led them to expect, yet at a rate which enabled them to live comfortably. To the excellent management of those entrusted with the conduct of the immigration scheme this result is mainly due. So far as our own locality is concerned, the utmost credit is worthily due to Mr Bolleston, and the officials connected

with the Immigration Department, for their care, zeal, and attention. The way in which the large number of people arriving from home during the past two years have settled themselves amongst us, and are now making homes for themselves, is a sufficient answer to the detractors of the colony. But we do hope that means will be taken to put before the working classes at home a true picture —not painted in glowing colors of the prospects afforded them here, and to refute, as publicly as they have been made, mischievous and totally groundless statements, such as those made by Mr Williams.