EMIGRATION. [From the Emigration Gazetted]

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 51, 25 February 1843, Page 204

EMIGRATION. [From the Emigration Gazetted]

England is not decrepit, bat England is in trying circumstances, and it behoves every one of her children now to render their best services to the State. Distress of the most aggravated character is now existing amongst us in the height of summer, which we have ever been accustomed to regard as the poor man's harvest, whatever might be his vocation. Go, however, where we will at present, we see no one blithe, but the thoughtless and the worthless; and, though not of moody pen, we can look forward with little hope to the coming winter. We must not, however, be out of heart — condemn the present ministry, or condemn the last. The fear of both has been that, by adopting emigration as a Government measure, they would exhaust the national coffer. Infatuation! We tell Sir Robert Peel that, without emigration, he, with all his ability, will not only exhaust the national coffer, but the parochial coffers also. Here we are at this moment with — let the truth be heard— with one man in every eight a pauper, receiving relief by the compulsion of law from his fellow parishioners, who, by the Queen's letter, are oecoming paupers themselves. If something be not very quickly done, almost before winter, we dread the consequence. Sir Robert Peel could not do better than bring in a bill as short as that for the protection of the Queen's person, for the protection of the people. Let him authorize every parish to anticipate one rate : that is, at once collect two instead of one throughout the country, that one to be appropriated to emigration only. The country is not in a condition to be benevolent, and the rich are hoarding for their evil day. The Queen's letter for the poor, though benevolently designed, has accomplished nothing ; it has not procured sufficient to relieve the one town of Paisley through the winter, nay, not through the summer. It roust, therefore, be either a compulsory parochial rate, or a parliamentary vote must be come to, adequate to the occasion. We express no extravagant opinion respecting what only will be a sensible relief from the present pressure of the poor upon the rich and middle classes. It should enable 400,000 people to leave the metropolitan county, England, for the distant colonial counties — Canada, the Cape of Good Hope, &c. What would be the effect of this measure ? That number now costs the different unions, on the average, £7 each per annum. That, therefore amounts to £2,800,000, which it has cost the parishes to support that number of paupers : in those parishes, also, sustaining a high price of provisions ; and, on the other hand, by the competition of parish paupers, debasing the value and the character of the industrious, hardworking, self-sustaining, honest labourer, who, with the inclination to emigrate, has not the means to do so. And, looking on the other side of the question, the carrying of this number to Canada and the Cape of Good Hope might have been accomplished for the very same money. Let the Premier and every other sensible man contemplate the different condition of the pauper had this been done six months ago, of the parishes also, and of the country. The pauper would be a free labourer, at from 4s. to 7s. a day. By this operation the parishes would, by the prompt outlay, have completely relieved themselves from an equal annual charge ; the country would have relieved herself of hungry, and consequently discontented, subjects ; shipping would have been called for, the manufacturer would have had orders to supply apparel, hardware, &c. ; the colonies would have rejoiced, and the empire would have been strengthened.

. A correspondent of the Mining Journal relates a noble instance of self-devotion in humble life,: — " A few weeks ago, two miners, Yerran and Roberts, were at work in South Caradon new shaft (which is intended to be sunk perpendicularly through a granite country, to intersect the lode at the depth of one hundred and forty fathoms). The present depth is about ten fathoms ; and they had prepared a hole for blasting, the fuse inserted, tamped up, and all ready for firing. On these occasions the men are drawn up by a windlass : and as there is only three in a core, there is only one man at the brace, and he can only draw up one at a time ; consequently, after the whole is ready, one man is drawn up, and the kibble lowered in readiness to receive the last man, who has to put fire to the fuse, and then both men at the windlass draw him up with the utmost speed, in order that all may get out of the way when the explosion takes place, which is sometimes so violent that large stones are thrown up at the. top, carrying with them part of the '"roller and windlass to a considerable height. It unfortunately happened that, as the safety-fuse with which the hole was charged was longer than was neccessary, they inconsiderately took a sharp stone to cut a piece of it off, and ignition instantaneously commenced. They both flew to the kibble, and cried out to the man at the trace to < wind up ' ; but alas ! after trying with all his might he could not start them. At this awful moment (while the furious hissing of the fuse assured them that their destruction was within half a minute's march of them), Verran sprang out of the kibble, exclaiming to his comrade, Roberts, ' Go on, brother, I shall be in heavea in a minute!' Consequently Roberts was drawn up, and Verran threw himself down, and placed his poor devoted head under a piece of plank in one corner of the shaft, awaiting the moment when he should be blown to atoms. Just as Roberts got to the brace, and was looking down with trembling apprehension on the fate of poor Verran, the whole went off with ft tremendous explosion, and a small stone struck Roberts severely on the forehead as he was looking down the shaft. To the inexpressible surprise and joy of the men at the brace, they heard Verran cry out — < Don't be afraid, I am not hurt ! ' Roberts immediately descended, and found that the great burden of the blast was thrown in every part of the shaft except the corner where poor Verran was coiled up!"

Dr Franklin's Parable against Persecution. — And it came to pass after these things, that Abraham sat in the door of hit tent, about the going down of the sun. And- behold a man bent with age, coming from the way of the wilder- 1 ness, leaning on a staff. And Abraham arose, and met him, and said unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night, and thou shalt arise early in the morning, and go on thy way. And the man said, Nay ; for I will abide under this tree. But Abraham pressed him I greatly: so he turned, and they went into the tent : and Abraham baked unleavened bread, and they did eat. And when Abraham saw that the man blessed not God, he said unto him, Wherefore dost thou not worship the most high GpdJ Creator of heaven and earth? And the mS^' H answered and said, I do not worship thy God, neither do I call upon his name ; for I have made to myself a god, which abideth in my house, and provideth me with all things. And Abraham's zeal was kindled against the man ; and he arose, and fell upon him, end drove him forth with blows into the wilderness. And God called unto Abra- ' ham, saying, Abraham, where is the stranger? and Abraham answered and said, Lord, he would not worship thee, neither would he call upon thy ' name ; therefore have I driven him out from before my face into the wilderness. And God said, have I borne with him these hundred and ninetyeight years, and nourished him, and clothed him, ' notwithstanding his rebellion against me; and couldst not thou, who art thyself a sinner, bear with him one night ?