The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 621, 20 October 1858, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, October 2o. Last Friday evening the Provincial Secretary obtained leave from the Council to bring in a Bill for the Regulation of Immigrants' Barracks in this Province. That is to say, it is proposed to constitute some new offences according to lawy and to add another volume to that long series of works which may be called the "Justices' Educational Course."

We Have not the least doubt that this new law is required y and that the evilswhich it proposes to repress exist already in such vigour that they should at once berecognized legally as offences. It is the d uty of the pro v ncial authorities to look after the safety of those who are for the time committed to their charge; the law must therefore interpose between the immigrant and the many dangers to which in his inexperienced condition he is exposed. It is no less the duty of the Government to enforce good conduct among those whom they are introducing into the State; and the law must here again be appealed to. At the present moment there is no person in whom the management of the barracks is definitely vested, and there is no one, therefore, who can inter- , pose with authority in case of disturbance of any kind. Such an officer the bill before the Council proposes to create, clothed with the necessary powers. So far then as preventing injury from the ' old hand' to the new chum, or of repressing disturbances among the immigrants themselves, may go, the new bill will be useful. But we cannot omit to remark that some legislation seems almost equally necessary to restrain the immigrant from overbearing conduct towards the established colonist. It is notorious that the most recently arrived individual has the most exalted notion of the freedom and wealth which he is to enjoy in his new home. It has appeared to us in some instances as. if the new-chum considered himself to have been presented with absolution from Adam's, curse for the rest of his life, together with the moiety of his passage money. This sort of idea is most, prevalent among those who have done least for themselves already. The capitalist very often comes to our shores considering hard; work to be the ne plu* ultra of colonial existence j the prudent father who has pinched himself to bring1 out a family, sometimes displays fln eagerness to obtain, employment; but tlio - young- ones, (and more particularly the

young" women,) who have to thank others, for their passage money, have positively1 to be cajoled into allowing themselves to> earn money by the labour of their hands. This sort of* conduct has a certain effect,' as any self assertion in this world has; high wages are demanded, and on a ship's arrival full of people, wages rise. It is a fact that all kinds of labour have obtained higher rates of remuneration since the Zealandia's arrival, in. the case of the green hands lately brought by that ship, than were current previously among those who could boast of some experience. We could quote extraordinary prices paid, but this would perhaps have the effect of unduly raising the expectations of those who are to follow, already no doubt high enough. We have no wish to see want of employment and consequent misery meet the newly arrived immigrant ; and indeed anything like this is not to be expected j out some such lesson is the only one which will teach moderation. At any rate, no harm will be done if ships arrive with double or treble the rapidity of the present rate of immigration.