Notes and Events.

Manawatu Herald, 19 September 1893, Page 3

Notes and Events.

A self-reliant policy ia not remarkable in the case of immigrants introduced to the colony. By parliamentary papers lately published we find the Agent General declaring that intending settlers are " attracted by some advantage which is immediately available, more, perhaps, than by any other inducement." What a oontrast these persons present to the hardy old pioneers ! A sample letter of one of these " spoon-fed " individuals is pub ligfaed. After stating the size of his family this adventurous explorer of new lands wants to know if he could get a free pass to Whangarei on landing, as it might mean £20 to him. He says also "if you could show me some material advantage, no doubt, I should be a pioneer."' A pioneer ! what a name to call him sjlf by now all the danger of the Native trouble is at an end ; now tho country is populated with Europeans, now that good roads, railways and steamships are available ! These " pioneers " would be jmt up to their weight in a Liberal Go vernment co-operative contract where all hands get the same pay whether they are accustomed to the work or not. A new arrival of this class would need to be waited on by the agent of the Labour Bureau, to check his luggage, carry the baby and make himself generally useful*. It seems a piece of arrant absurdity to waste good men's money on importing such specimens, as they will never make colonists. How conies it that the AgentGeneral is bothered with such communications ? It is answered by that official in a letter to the Premier dated September last year. A gen tleman from Christchurch worked his trip Home by working the AgentGeneral, who purchased from him the manuscript of three lectures for £25. Alter the statement about the purchase of these lectures for this sum ot money it appears very clear either they were a very bad bargain or that the Agent-General did not take the trouble to read them, as in a few following lines appears this wonderful bit of caution " I understand that Mr — delivers lectures on the oolony, and exhibits lime-light views of N«.w Zealitnd ; and that he proposes to expend the whole of the money I have paid for his manuscript in expenses connected with these lectures. I have, however, re* fused to identify myself, or connect the Government of the colony in any way, with these lectures, as I have not a sufficient knowledge of his abilities or prudence to warrant such a course." It is clear that the text of his lectures was not very convincing of his ability, yet the AgpntGeneral invests a further sum of £25 in printing these lectures for the lecturer to distribute broadcast ! The " pioneer's " letter to which we have referred to was written after the publication of these lectures.