MR M'PHERSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 130, 2 June 1874, Page 2

MR M'PHERSON.

A person of this name liq_ been talking a good deal of nonsense both in Dunedin and Melbourne regarding ibe colony of New Zealand a. a field for immigration. Iu both cities he has been characterised by the Pres3 as an ignorant agitator, prompted by personal vanity, or worse, aud the Melbourne Argus Was especially pointed in its condemnation of him. Referring to the article on the subject, a correspondent of that journal, Mr W. Begg, writes:— "I am heartily glad that you have thought fit to expose, in their proper light, to the public the statements respecting the New Zealand immigration scheme made by Mr J. M'Pherson, at the meeting of the Free Discussion Society on Sunday evening last. From a personal knowledge of the country, and its advantages for settlemsnt, I entirely agree with your criticism. " I have travelled over nearly the whole of both islands, and from my own observation am prepared to say tbat there are largo ricb tracts of countiy yet available for fettlemenl, that wages aro considerably higher than at Home, while articles of daily use are iD very few instances higher, and tbat the demand for labor of all descriptions, more especially skilled artizans and bouse servants, is very great indeed; and what more convincing proof can we bave than this fact, after a trial of the scheme of 1870 for three years, which, as can be proved by statistical returne, has, as you truly remark, been productive of great and increasing prosperity. " Times of stagnation are no doubt inevitable in a young and growiug colony, and New Zealand has not, and no doubt will not, prove any exception to this rule; but from the richness of its soil, ita mineral wealth, and the large extent of couutry yet undeveloped, New Zealand has a glorious prospect before her, and I do not heaitato to say that in spite of the croakinga of this so-called working man, the peasant or artisan who emigrates from Great Britain to New Zealand will find himself employed at once at higher wages, with shorter hours, and be in every way more comfortable than he could bo were he to remain at home; and as a proof of what I state, it is a fact that numbers who bave immigrated are nominating friends whom they desire to be brought out by the New Zealand Government, in order that they may participate in the privileges they themselves enjoy in the land of their adoption. "It is a country in which no man who is willing to work need look long for employment, and I must confess I am led to suspect tbat Mr M'Pherson is one of those who will not work; and who, being, perhaps, rather glib with his tongue, has persuaded a discontented few to join him in order that he may gain an unenviable notoriety, though from the shallowness of his arguments, it is to be. hoped that his 'mission ' will prove as unsuccessful as it is positively libellous on the colony. "It would occupy too much of your space were I to attempt to refute all bis arguments, but a reference to labor, trade, and Government returns will be quite suffioient to prove that this unhappy man is either laborineju£^| ___i__-H_BBH_-_-l

some extraordinary hallucination of the brntn, or is wilfully perverting the facts of the case for some purpose best known to himself —possibly an inexpensive journey to Great Britain and back; or, perhaps, like tho dog in the manger, he und his coadjutors may be afraid too many of his countrymen may be brought out to compete with them, and participate in the blessings they ecjoy, and hence his ' mission.'"