TWO SIDES TO A QUESTION.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 269, 1 May 1874, Page 3

TWO SIDES TO A QUESTION.

The ' Wellington Independent' has a leading article on the telegram of Mr. Holloway's speech in Dunedin, in which it takes that gentleman to task fur stating that he would not advise his friends, to come here unless the land laws were altered, The writer says, in' the course of the article:—" it is a misf >rtune for the colony, in the opinion of men like Mr. •Holloway, that the squatting interest should be so strong. But surely there is something to be said on the other side of the question. Had thern been no squatt - ing, New Zealand would have been in the hands of the Maories to the present day. Squatters are ever pioneers in the work of colonisation. Many of them have - gone into the bush with their lives in their hands ; and, very much, to the "disgust of farmers and laborers who have come after - them, have obtained possession of magnificent estates. Whilst thus doing they have, as it were, created an export and import trade for the young- colonies, the value of which will remain long after they are forgotten. Mr. Holloway, look--ing only at the fact that they have estates wciild not advise laboring men from England to come to Otago. Whilst admitting his right to advise them to remain in a state of semi -destitution in England, as long as he and they may think proper, we may express a hope that he will give them a true statement of what he has seen, and then we shall not have any fear of the result. Where, we should like to ask, would he advise them to go, if not, to ■Otago? No person acquainted with the facts will say that they would be better off in either Canada or-the States. Knowing i something of the .state of things in every colony in Australia, we have no hesitation i in saying that the laboring classes are in i better circumstances in New Zealand. Land, it is quite true, is advancing in value here, and this tendency may be viewed bv a friend of emigrants with alarm. To us it appears a natural conse- i \quence of the prosperity of the colony. As 'public .works are constructed, so land will become valuable. We grant that it is obtained on easier' terms in Australia, but there is no comparison -to be instituted between land in New Zeal— | and that will carry a dozen sheep to the | acre, and that in Australia which will i half-starve one."