THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1098, 3 February 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1872.

That labor, cheap labor, is the panacea for all the ills of a colony seems to be the opinion of those colonists whose ideas extend no farther than the present moment ; and if it is possible to introduce labor in the shape of tho Mongolian or Fijian element to the detriment of the European, providing that labor is cheapest at the commencement, the policy has been hitherto to advocate its introduction. Enough has been proved in Victoria and New South Wales to show that this labor is not profitable— that Chinese labor, except to a few Chinese merchants, despite the assertion of Mr Broad, oar newlyappointed Warden at the Inangahua, does not pay. Indeed a far better authority, MrHaughton, the Under Secretary for the Gold Fields, stated that Chinese and cheap labor did not pay on the gold fields. It is true .that Chinamen may overrun and swamp a gold field, but as soon aB the haid work comes they are wanting, and therefore a gold field is better without them. Who ever heard of a Chinaman prospecting or opening- up a new gold field ? and yet it has been recommended that such labor, with all its Oriental immoralities and rogueries should be employed on our gold fields. One of the first results of the policy, recommended by the Son. James Bonor, who no doubt expects to drive a trade in opium and that abominable mixture called " Chinese tea," is foreshadowed in the debarkation of the first importation of Chinamen to the Grey District yesterday. And as the majority of them ar<j what is termed " headmen," we may be induced to ask what use are they? Labor at all times is welcome on our Gold Fields, but that labor should be of a reproductive kind, and if it is of such a nature as landed here yesterday, it would be better if it was dispensed with, for it is not profitable to a community either individually or collectively. Certainly it might be: profitable to a few European merchants for several months, but as soon as it pays they will find that the native Chinese merchants will take the trade out of their hands. On the other hand, the battle, so far as labor is concerned, will be found to lay between our . brethren of the Flowery Land and those importations recommended by Dr. Featherstone, who can live on a herring and threehalf puncK per day, and with whose preaonco mir worthy County Chairman tliroitens to inundate us. "Our Scandinavian Brethren," as was toasted a few nights ago in Hokitika, and there is no doubt, what with the recommendations of the Chinese Committee on the one hand, and the exportations of Dr. Featherston from his beloved Norway on the other, that New Zealand will soon get a population of a kind, and for whose support and introduction the sturdy pioneers from the United Kingdom will have to pay. But there still remains, one way of stopping it, and that is going in dead against it in earliest stages, for as Harte Bret says, "We will be ruined by Chinese cheap labor." If the Chinee element once gets a footing on this Coast, farewell to poor man's diggings. The Scandinavians certainly are a better class, but it is somewhat repulsive to have labor forced down our throats' when it can be obtained from "our own home" or the , adjacent colonies. When, notwithstanding what has been said, there are thousands who only want the opportunity to emigrate to anpther land — our own brethrei — those whom we long to see among us, and who really make good colonists. The General Government!; as allowed us an opportunity of overcoming this difficulty in another way. It allows the colonists of New Zealand to send for their kindred tinder the following conditions, which are published in the Government Cfazette of the Bth ult for pnblio information, and whioh may prove of

much interest to those who wish to bring their . friends to New Zealand on easy ; 'terms':— •-..,, r.'; '.,._ -.„,>; ' I. 4 Each applicant will be required to pay, at the time of making the application^ the sum of L 5 for each adult (except single women) and L 2 10s for each child between the'ages'of one arid twelve years, whom it is desired to have introduced into 'the colony. Infants in arms, under one year, free. This rate being only from the ship's passage from London (or such other port as the ship may sail from) to the colony, the cost of reaching Buch port of sailing in Europe and proceeding up the country to their friends after ; arrival in the colony,, will have tp be defrayed by the emigrants themselves. # ' 2. Free passages will be granted to single women between the ages of twelve and thirty-five, provided they are able to produce proof of good character to the satisfaction of the Agent-General in London. .3. In the event of any emigrants applied for declining to emigrate, whatever money may have been deposited with the Government will be returned to the applicants so soon as the Agent-General. in England shall have apprised the Government thereof ; but in the event of any emigrants applied for accepting the offer of a passage in a particular ship, and so by failing to present themselves for embarkation at the time and port appointed by the Agent-General in England for the sailing of such ship, be left behind, the passage money and passages will be forfeited. ■ 4. Applicants in the colony, when wilting to the persons for whose passages they have applied, should distinctly inform them that no part of the passage money paid in the colony will be returned, if they omit to write to the Agent-General in London, telling him that they decline the passage offered to them. " 6. Notwithstanding : anything herein to , the contrary, the Agent-General in London will have power to refuse passages where the intending emigrants are in ill health, or in anyway unfitted, according to his judgment, to undertake the voyage. . 7. Forms of application may be obtained at any post office in the colony, but passage moneys can only be paid at any money order post 'office in the colony. :