AUCKLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 637, 15 December 1858, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

By the Emerald Isle, which brings no mail "from Auckland, we have a few papers handed -to. us by the courtesy of "the master, the datest ■of which is dated the 27th ult. The news is -scanty, com prising-a grand farewell banquet to the 58th Regiment. The new immigration scheme, which has just -commenced operations, is the 'topic of greatest importance, and on this subject we extract the ■following article from -.the" "..New Zealaiider :'— IMMIGRATION ARRANGEMENTS.

T!ie arrival of the "Harwood with the first body of immigrants provided-with land-orders under the new Land Begulations, has caused quite a flutter among certain of our fellow-citi-zens, who fancy they can see an inch or two further beyond their noses than other folks do. Haying been foremost in their denunciations (before it could have any trial) of the .Landorder system as a blunder, they no sooner discover that it is not one, than they begin to commiserate the new arrivals before any commiseration is asked for or needed.; —and to demand why Government does not find lodging and employment for these "poor creatures;" never troubling themselves to enquire how far the Provincial Government is under any legal or moral engagement to do one thing or the other, or whether it is taking such steps as it can fairly/be expected or called upon to take, in order to lessen or soften as far as it cau those passing inconveniences which all strangers must be prepared to undergo on first arriving in a young country. p These and other doubts and fears found embodiment and expression in an address to the Superintendent from the Provincial Council, asking for information as to what had been done or what was doing; and we are glad that -Mich an address was raove^for andagreed to. h2£.. ha(l tlie effect of eliciting the fdll<**ing reply*and information in a message from the Superintendent. From this message it will be " seen that the Provincial Government, if it does not make a fuss and parade of its overwhelming anxiety for the "poor immigrants," is not the less effectively doing every thing in its power to secure a sufficiency of land for the immigrants to select from, to provide access to the several block's, and as far as possible to guard -against a rush of incapable and pauper immigrants. In proof of this the passengers by the ship Harwood are justly referred to. We may add that, should it be necessary, provision can be soon made for the comfortable and economical dodging of immigrants as they may arrive, until they can provide themselves with separate house-accommodation in such'situations as they may prefer; and the paragraphs addressed to -employers which appear in our columns from time to time, show that the acting immi°ration agent is doing his best to help those new corners who can and will work to1 obtain speedy and remunerative emploj-ment. The message might also have referred to the passengers by the Harwood who procured land orders, as affording proof that the possession ot tnese orders will not operate injuriously on the supply of labour. Having got their orders --being thus sea*-* of land at any time they -choose to make their selection within the five years specified in the Act—they are less fever- ■ ishly anxious aDout obtaining " some laud " immediately after their arrival—less likely to become the prey of land-jobbers. They have virtually go t "the estate" which was one inducement for them to leave the old country . they are now more disposed to listen to that common sense which tells them that, if they have not sufficient capital to work their land, they had better work for others for awhile, so gaining both money and experience of their newly adopted home. The province meanwhile i*a gamer by the additional capital, labour, and consumptive power added to its population. U c have remarked that some people have extraord.nary notions of the duties of. Government but they forget that there are also duties incumbent on themselves a»d other older set- «. w• I y shonld not be content with saying, ■Why does not Government do this., why does it -not do that, ' so putting doubt and anxiety in the minds of newly arrived immigrants—sometimes even, we regret to learn, taking more decided and more questionable steps to effect that oDjcot,—thpy should do what lies in their power to nsswt these new settlers : not in the way of imhscmmnating charity, but in the way of procnung them employment and, so, the means with the immigrant, as it rested with him when : orrotro^ade ; and the history of five sixths of •the European popnlation of.this Province shows •that though there is some rough work to be gone through, though there will be some in! convenumcea and deprivations of home-comfort,, to be sunned for the first 2or 3 vearo—as in -the case in every other colony-yet with industry, mfolh^nce, and sobriety to aid him the ■-i.nm, r ftnt will meet with a d better reward >f«r hi. exertions, and his family will have a innflh better chance of a fair start in life, than if he had remained m the old country. We now give the Message referred to :— McasA&E No. 51 r The Superintendent has received from the z'rorincial Council an address, requesting copies ox any communications which may have been received from the various Emigration Agents appDinterl >>y him under the authority of the ■^ a-ffe Lznda Acf,. and requesting also to be .'.sor-.-nc'.-f wliether he has mark' any. and if any "■mi JirninKement, lor tJiesettlement or employ- -: 'it; of the inmtitfr.intfl who may be expected. \ The^Sup.sriiirondeut lay a hvtbr-i the Provincial ■\»ij jyii -cojiics <«f the lutter's addressed to, and

of the communications received from Messrs. Alexander F. Kid way and Sons, of London: no letters have been as yet received from other Emigration Agents. The arrangements for the settlement of the expected immigrants have been confined, in the absence of special iufonnation, to causing* all the available land in the Wangarie district, at Pakiri, and to the southward of Mahurangi, to be surveyed and prepared for sale, and to pushing forward with as much vigour as possible the opening of and construction of the necessary bridges on the North-road, in order to render accessible the large and valuable districts situate between Auckland and the Bay of Islands, and to give facilities of access to the several blocks of land which have been or are now being surveyed. On referring to the instructions issued to the several Emigration Agents, the Provincial Council will perceive that, if those instructions are carefully followed, the immigrants who may be expected to arrive will generally be of a class for whom it will not be necessary that the Government should directly find employment. As an example, the immigrants recently arrived by the ship Harwood may be referred to.

The advices which will be received by the next mail may enable the Superintendent to place before the Council more specific information as to the probable effect of the provisions of the Waste Lands Act in inducing a stream of immigration to Auckland. Should that desired result be attained, it will be the dut}' of the Superintendent to afford such facilities as he may be able for the location of the immigrants, to aid those who require employment in obtaining it, and so to conduct the public works, for which provision may be made by the Provincial Council, as that danger from want of present employment for numbers of newly arrived immigrants may be obviated.

J. WILLIAMSOX, Superintendent. Superintendent's Office. Auckland. 2?oi\ 23.1555,