Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAECH 14,1893. Have we Escaped ?

Manawatu Herald, 14 March 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAECH 14, 1893. Have we Escaped ?

... «. We have only just received a batch of parliamentary papers amongst which is the correspondence relative to " General " Booth's over-sea colony. It will be remembered that the Government desired it to be understood that they had expressed no very favourable opinion regarding " General " Booth's scheme, which is not surprising considering how they attempted to pose as the work-ing-man's friend. That they have, as usual, misled their supporters, will not create any surprise to those who view their actions at their true value. It is however aa well, as within a short space of time Ministers will again repeat their love and affection for the "horny-handed sons of toil " that we shonld remind our readers that it has simply been owing to " General " Booth having made other arrangements that we are not blest, or otherwise, with an experimental colony of the " reclaimed " of the London streets, in this district. It is not pleasant to think how narrowly we have escaped from this misfortune. In the beginning of the correspondence with Lord Onslow, the Premier most distinctly promised that they would give " General " Booth's scheme a trial in this colony. Among the

conditions it was set forth " that the first batch of emigrants shall first have undergone some probation on tho. farm-colony in England, and have proved that they are physically able and willing to enfcor upon the business of land cultivation and settlement. That a guarantee should be given that, fo Ihn bod hwwlvltjc and hdu-.f of the oilieer.s most capable of judging in the Army, none of those first sent have been convicted criminals', and that the widest possible publicity should bo given to that guarantee." Such is the wording of the memorandum of the Hon. John Ballance, though the italics are ours. It will be seen that all the anxiety the Ministers showed was that the first batch of reclaimed shimmers should have undergone some probation, and that those first sent, have not been convicted criminals. By these provisions it is evident that the Premier considered it likely that these emigrants might be composed of convicted criminals and of men who wore utterly useless for colonial life, yet he was only firm that the first batch should have undergone some, whatever that may represent, probation, and. that they should not comprise convicted criminals, others might come to tbe colony, under inducement from the Government, but it must be left to the colony to convict them ! The Premier is not to be congratulated upon his action. hi M;nvh hist year flic Government still hunkered sifter these desirable (!) colonists us t-lits parliamentary papers allow that the Hon Mr Reeves' wrote to the " General's " agent in Calcutta to say " that' the land now at the disposal of the Government for settlement in such colonies as General Booth proposed are mostly situated in the southern part of the North Island." In May the Agent- General endeavoured to hurry up the Army " General " by stating that the New Zealand Government wanted to know what action he was taking in the matter of this emigration ! At the end of May the Agent General reported " that nothing had been definitely settled, as to sending out any of their (General Booth's) people to the colonies, a? they were hesitating between Africa and New Zealand." No doubt those new settlors would have assisted the Minister of Lands in authorising a statement to Parliament how many more people had been placed upon the land during his term of office, as he is satisfied in claiming every person, a settler, who goes through the formality of speculating in a piece of perpetual lease land. But what about the real pioneer, the hard working bushman, the labourers in advance of settlement. What good would a promiscuous crowd from the streets of London be to the colony beyond obtaining a good piece of land which would therefore be unobtainable by the sons of the early settler?, the sons of men who have made New Zealand what it is. The working man wants men with money to come to the colony so as to provide employment for him and his. not paupers with the worst of training, who will lower the rate of wages or demoralise the young. For a Ministry making tho professions they do. this parliamentary paper 26 is a most unfortunate dis closure and we are not surprised at the delay in publishing it. As yet we have escaped, the electors can make sure, at the forthcoming election, whether it ia only temporarily or for good.