The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 311, 23 May 1849, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just ami fear not: Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy firm's, and Truth's.

SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1849.

Having, already, dwelt so fully and so frequently upon the dear land fallacy, we deem it to be an- "equally imperative duty to investigate the workings of the Land Fund folly;-rto create and to enrich which, is the professed intention of those visionaries, who, by their experimental indulgences, have been permitted to frustrate the hopes, and to destroy the prosperity of all our Southern Colonies. Experience has proved that an arbitrary, fictitious, value, is as fatal to the existence of the fund itself, as it is ruinous to the progress of the- colonies upon which it is sought to be imposed. There are those who consider the absence of a land fund — because of the impossible prices sought to be exacted — and its existence, — by means of a charge which seduces people to buy, — as a choice of evils, — viewing the utter stagnation caused by the one, and the cruel impoverishment entailed by the other, as little more than a. difference, without any material distinction, in the colonial prostration they compel. Of this opinion, Dr. Bland, of Sydney, has proved the rational and consistent champion, aivl although his arguments have been impatiently listened to, because of the deep anxiety of men solicitous to obtain, at any cost.— at any colonial sacrifice — that labour, without which their operations must be brought to an abrupt and diieful close, — yet the Doctor's arguments have been those of sense and reason, which his opponents were more, successful in sneering at, than in shaking. That a Land Fund must be the Sinking fund of every colony compelled to adopt its pernicious operations, we have ever felt firmly persuaded ; and the colony long enough subjected to its exhausting influences must shortly give. fearful and fatal evidences of its crushing effects. Let any man consider New South Wales from 1835 to 1841. Then she rioted in a species of moral delirium iremens — her candle of imaginary prosperity flaring away at both ends, to gutter in the socket of that gigantic insol« vency which appalled the world. Had the creation of a land fund, even at five shillings an acre, nothing to do with that portentous ruin 1 ? Was not every expedient resorted to to tempt, we may even say, to provokc> purchasers of Australia's wastes 1 Did not the Banks recklessly pander to the purposes of discount they afforded in the land gambling of the Local Government, in the culpable facility

rage i until One million, or,e hundred thousand pounds were wrung from a community of less than one hundred and fifty thousand soulsabstracted, never to be returned,— and invested in a quality of immigration of the most inferior class, and utterly unsuiled to the wants of the colonists, for whose benefit this enormous sum was professed to be exacted ! Were it possible, in any way, to reverse the case— to imagine some marvellous power of colonial controul,— some extraoidinary object which the colonies could grant, and which it was of the last importance that England should acquire.-— We might, then, fancy her seduced into indulgence of her wishes, and emptying her coffers to the tune (to be of comparative rate,) of I* Two Hundred and Ten Millions. Suppose this, like the coin of Australia, never to return—would : not, even the mighty " Old Country " experience a shock quite as deadly as that which overwhelmed New South Wales ? Why, it amounts to seven pounds per individual ! Only imagine seven pounds for evewithdrawn from each of the thirty millions of beings in Great Britain and Ireland ! And, yet, snch abstractions have been made fiom a province not of sixty years growth ; and theoretical statesmen still uphold and still expatiate upon the benefits of high prices for waste lands, that suck land funds may be still extorted! Consider the sums that, for the same delusive, purpose, have been drained from Van Diemen's Land ! To the benefit of that province 1 Not so ! Noteven in its happier days ; Van Diemeu'sLand, to quote the emphatic expression of Sir John Franklin, proving but the immigration bridge across which to pass, to Tasmania's grievous injuiy, but to the great aggrandizement of Poit Phillip. And, since her convict overflow, we question if even a section of the many immigrants, purchased with her lens of thousands of pounds, remain to labour on her felon shores. The land fund is a most injurious colonial impost, ruinously raised, and recklessly squandered and misapplied. It passes into hands amenable to no colonial enquhy for its misappropriation, much less for its injudicious misapplication. It seems as if it burnt the fingers of those to whom it was confided. Take up shipping— shovel away paupers— push on, keep moving — having, erewhile, been the regardless axiom, whilst a shilling was left to sacrifice. Taking it fiom the commencement, from the charming days, in which (to equalize the sexes) the nymphs of Ratcliffe Highway, and the vestals of "the Liberties," weie deported, to bill and coo in the Australian " woods and wilds," even until now, there has been no system, such as so lavish an outlay should have ensured, or of'a character which the necessities of the colonies required. The bounty plan was unquestionably the best, because it obviated the necessity of promiscuous heiding on board of ship, whilst the limited protection it afforded in many cases, and the complete social security it offered in others, induced a really respectable emigration, especially of young and friendless females. We 'could give numerous striking examples of this fact — we may instance one, that of. a family returning to the colonies, and advertising, in the Times, for female servants to accompany them. The advertiser was besieged by applicants ere the morning's issue was well d r y : — n ot from domestics in the lower ranges of service, but from the superior; — from the household of her Majesty the Queen Dowager, as well as that of Donna Maria of Portugal. In less than eight-and-forty hours (and this is eight years since) at least a hundred applications had been made by young women, all eager after emigration : — yet, of the rejected, when recommended to apply to her Majesty's Commissioners, there was not one but felt hurt at the mere suggestion. We are of opinion this clearly demonstiates that a plan needs yet to be devised such as may be likely to promote the respectable emigration of single females ; to accomplish which, we know of no better way than by inducing families to take them in passenger ships as servants, rather than to embark them in the general ships as immigrants. It is too bad that the colonial purse should be ruinously drained, and- the Colonial Service Bazaar be still of the most worthless degree. These, however, are matters of detail in a system to be approved, rather than objections , in a measure to be condemned. An immigration system, to be one of value to a country, must possess other qualities than those which encourage a drain of her resources. Since to sell the soil and afterwards cumber it with paupers, without holding out legitimate and rational attraction for the consentaneous migration of capitalists to fill the monetary vacuum, were to spend the principal, instead of employing the interest. Not only are rack prices for waste lands demanded, but, immediate payment in cash is, an indispensable condition insisted on 1 Is it a wonder, then, that such a system should have caused such, frightful convulsions in the Australian settlements, or have made a stale-mate of this 1 The mere expense of moving with a family, causes a heavy inroad into even a moderate Capitalist's finances ; and 170 bonus was so judicious, in the days of practical and prosperous Australian colonization, as that which authorized an appoitionment of land commensurate with the disbursements entailed in adventuring to provinces so far re-1 and so imperfectly known. We feel'

convinced, therefore, that no system so subservient to British and Colonial prosperity can be devised as that which, by cheap and easy acquisition of the soil, with a liberal credit for its payment, shall enable the emigrant capitalist to reclaim and to realize, ere he be stripped to the uttermost penny in procurement of the waste, he may afterwards lack the adequate means to turn to account. The insisting upon prompt and exorbitant payment is the secret of constantly recurring colonial failure, and of that wide spreading colonial discontent which is leading British subjects to look to other and more practicable fields for British industry. To be just, an Emigration fund — that is, so long as emigrants continue to be of the present staple — should be of tripartite collection. From the country, which eases herself of her su rplus — from the parishes, which diminish their relief claimants, — and from the colonies, which conveit English misery into instruments of English piosperity. National Colonization, upon just and equitable principles — that is to say, which should recognize in the colonists, a people to be fostered, rather than a set of serfs to be screwed — would achieve all this ;—; — and the limbs of the empire, instead of being a dead weight to the body, would prove energetic scions to diffuse prosperity and stability to the national- heart, No men, or body of men, can deserve Letter of their country than the intelligent and influential parties constituting the Colonization Society. Much enlightenment must result from their combined and comprehensive knowledge ; — and we entertain a fond and sanguine hope that they will shortly exemplify that " the hour that's the darkest is the hour befoie day," whether as applicable to the material world, or to the present cheerless gloom of the Colonial horizon.

Notwithstanding the climax of the Caliiornian mania, we are rejoiced to learn that it has , caused little, if any, depression in the Auckland land market. The following authentic abstract of sales, from the 4th of April, to the 17th of the present month, have been furnished us in demonstration of that fact. On the 4th of April, three farm lots in the Epsom District, being Nos. 53, 54, and 55, containing 62^- acres, fetched £281 ss. cash, being at the rate of £4 10s. per acre. On the 25th of April, the subdivision of town allotment No. 2, Section 37, realised £102 14s. cash. On the Ist instant, town allotments Nos. 23 and 24 of Section 33, netted together £62 10s. On the 7th, town allotment No 5 of Section 37, commanded, in cash and short credit, £300. On the 10th, a Weather-boarded dwelling house, Epsom, with garden, and six acres of land in cultivation, fetched £350, On the 12th, Town Allotments Nps. 7 and 18 brought together £100. On the 16th, Town Allotments Nos. 5 and 6 of sections 41 (near Freeman's Bay) realized in subdivisions, £90 ss. And, on the 17th,' Town Allotments No. 7 and 8, of section 8, with weather-boarded dwelling house, built in 1841, were sold for £700.

We sympathise with those of our readers, who derived an intellectual gratification from the hebdomadal performance of the Band of the 58th Regimenf, in the temporary cessation of that enjoyment. The season, however, is now so far advanced, and the weather has become so cold and cheerless, that the performers are compelled to retire, until fairer skies and longer days shall once more lure them forth. To the frequenters of the domain, a great and obvious improvement must, of late, have been manifest in the weekly performance. Much as may be due to the good taste and able conduct of the clever band serjeant, Davis, and the musicians generally, we are, we believe, not a little indebted to Lieutenant Balneavis, for the care and anxiety evinced by that gentleman in encouragement of the musical proficiency displayed. Mr. Balneavis, we are told, is himself an accomplished artiste, and to speak in theatrical parlance, we trust that, after the winter recess, we may again enjoy the benefit of his suggestions.

The Levee. — We have been requested to state that His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief will hold a Levee, to morrow afternoon, at one o'clock, in the Ordnance building of the Albert Barracks, instead of at Government House, as notified in Saturday's Gazette. Gentlemen are requested to bring their cards along with them. One to be left at the entrance, the other to be presented to the Puvate Secretary.

Native Entertainment. — An entertainment, on an extensive scale, will be given to the native population by His Excellency the Governor, in honour of Her Majesty's birthday. The fete will take place to-morrow, at the Rope walk of Mr. Robertson, Mechanic's Ray.

Sacred Harmonic Society. — This class will meet in the Hall of the Mechanic's Institute, this evening, at 7 o'clock, when the following pieces (vocal and instrumental) will be attempted :—: — •'The Heavens are telling."— Ilayden. " When rising shines the morning star." — Bibhop, " Conor, gidcious Spuit." — Heethoven. " Hark, the glad sound. I'—Webb.1 '— Webb.