ENGLISH EXTRACTS. EMIGRATION TO THE BRITISH COLONIES. (From the Companion to the British Almanack, 1849.) [Concluded.]

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 321, 27 June 1849, Page 2

ENGLISH EXTRACTS. EMIGRATION TO THE BRITISH COLONIES. (From the Companion to the British Almanack, 1849.) [Concluded.]

One important advautage is afforded to small capitalists as well a.s others in Australia, and mitigates, in some degree, the harshness of the regulations for the sale ofland. A piece of pasture lmd in the country districts, a run as it is called, m»y be leased for fourteen years for a sum of not less than £10 yearly, and which is sufficient to feed 4,000 sheep, or 640 cattle, the whole year round. Prudent emigrant*, therefore, lo')k out with great care for a run that is welt watered, put on it whatever stock they po>sess or can gradually j obtain, examine every part until tbry have found the most valuable bit of the whole; there they build the hoase, lay out the garden, and cultivate what they please, for the supply of their own domestic wants (but not for sale); knowing that they can secure as little as 160 acres, at a pound an acre, in preference to any one else, at the expiration of their term; for such is the law in favour of squatters, as those wamleiing cultivators of the pas'oral are caled, and for which payments they of course prepare. If they can purchase the next size allowed to be purchased, 640 acres, and the soil be worth purchasing, so much the better.' We have emphasized tbe words well watered, for that is a point of extreme consequence in Australia. Many parts are comparatively or quite valueless from deficiency of water. The rivers themselves are often intermittent; but, when flowing, generally leave numberless lakes and ponds full of water, from which there is an un* failing supply while they themselves disappear. Sir T. Mitchell describes a very striking phenomenon caused by the drought. It is not unusual, it appears, to hear of the coining of a flood. Sir Thomas say, "We found water in the attenuated channel of tie Macquarie amongst the reeds; still it was scarce, untl I heard a report that a flood was coming down. Supposing that a fbod travelled rapidly, I could not believe the report. They said. " You will not see it till tomorrow evening, the two policemen travelled with it yesterday.' We waited tbe arrival of the flood. At last, by moonlight, in the evening of the next d;iy, I heird a crushing of logs at a distance, and suddenly it burst into our sight like a living ca'aract, foaming along, the most beautiful scene I ever saw, carrying trees before it, and filling up the dark and dry channel of the Macquarie, bringing water from a distance of 400 miles, where there had been a fall of rain. We thought then there was an end to all our troubles ; but in a tew days af;er, in the same channel, we were just as badly off for water; that water had gone to fill thousands of lagoons, and never reached the channel of ihe river lo which it was a mere tributary," Ihese lagoons—rpread over a great extent of surface—deceived Sir Thomas's official predeces»or, Mr. Oxley, into the belief that the interior of New Holland was a vast lnke. Much, of what we have said with regard to Australia may be applied to Nt'w Zealand where barley and beans become perenn al, where the wheat stalk grows so strong that no wind can lay it, and fifty bushels to ihe acre have been obtained ; where the myi tie and fuchsia grow to timber trees, and radishes swell out to the size of a man's leg; where all | 0.-sible facilitis for the breeding of sheep exist, which sheep give forth a fine and long wool; and where coal, copper, manganese, are all abundant; where, in a word, there is eveiything again, that is required for the development of a magnificent people, but the men and women themselves. The total population is now about 107,000. Intending emigrants, or those who have not yet arrived at that point and are only thinking of emigration, may derive from the preceding pages some general notions of the probable advantages of emigration, and of the c 1 >nies most suitable, which is all we have aimed af. Before taking any actual steps, every one should make it his or her business to institute special inquiries, personally or by letter, at the chief office in London, or of the emigration agents at the different provincial ports, a list of which will be found in the " Colon zitioo Circular," issued by Ihe Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners, and which [s full of all kinds of useful information in detail, at a price (2d) that need not deter the humblest purchaser.

2. National Emigration. How are the requisite funds lo be obtained f Before we try to answer that question, let us promise that instead of the word Emigration, we wish we could' with propriety^se that of Colonization ! but we fear there is. little hope at present of that harmonious amalgamation. and due proportion of members from all the truly valuable classes of society, in one great stream of transit from British to coLnial sho ci, which can alone deserve such a title. At preseur, in Great Britain an immense proportion of our population are surrounded by certain conditi >ns of life that they must accept and make the best of ; but all the artificial ties thus formed fall asunder the instant an old and thickly inhabited country is exclunged fora new and thinly inhabited one; where the great bulk of the community have the means afforded of improving their condition,, and that through various paths. Thus, for instance, no intimate combination of the two great classes of society, employers and employed, is possible, for the purposes of emigration, that proceeds on the basis of the preservation of their existing relations in this country. No workman can be expected to take less thaw the current wages o the colony he goes to, or to give up any of the opportunities for ceasing altogether to labour for others, that the colony affords, or ought to afford, to the industrious and frugal. On Ihe other hand, no employers can be expected to take out capital on the faith of the services to be rendered by the men they may take with, them, because they cannot permanently secure their services on any term.". Capital and labour, then fore, as well as whatever else may be needed, must find their way to the colonies through the operation of the same principle that regulates their flow elsewhere—* knomv

demand. But Government may do much, directly and indirectly, to secure the cxisteuce in the colony of a due proportion of all the elements that can make a prosperous community. Even this, however, can only be done by tne adoption of some few simple and thoroughly sound principles ; for the whole subject is pregnant wilh difficulties and dangers. Thus, one of the chief and avowed reasons for the demand of labour raised by the large employers of Australia, ft thfir desire to lower wages, and to make the employed more dependent upon them. They even go into descriptions and -calculations showing the moral evils of a man's Obtaining too high a payment for his labour. Can any government rentuie to send out labour for such purposes ? If to be too prosperous be an evil, surely it applies to every ohp. If it be only an evil with uncultivated minili, then the remedy is to educate. What would be thought of analogous measures and reasoning in England directed by the Government against employers ? As it is, public works have been stopped in the Australian colonies, in order that the wages of labour might not be raised by them. All ibis kind of interference, so opposed to the rccogniied rules of political economy In England, produces only jealousy, heartburnings, and loss. We find in one of the parliamentary books, the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales lamenting that the funds of the savings' bank could not be profitably invested ; for, as regarded the idea of making them available for emigration, he observed that, under the circumstances of the ca&e, he could not feel justified in using the savings of the working classes to lessen the value of their own labour. In fact, there can be but ona broad rule obterveil that sbail prevent the imputation of partiality, and give all classes fair play and a full knowledge of what they have to reckon on. That is, to introduce the greatest possible amount of fresh labour, for which due preparations hate been made, so as to give employer* the largest possible field from which to supply themselves ; and at the same time to throw open to the employed every facility for the purchase of land, so that they may be really free, ci her to remain workers on wages for others, or after a peiiodof extra exertion to settle on their own well-earm d land. Under this system the funds for emigration would rapidly swell to a large amount ; and the only other chief duties of <rove rnment would be to see that full and perf ctly accurate information was always obtainable by intending eniig r ants, and to superintend the actual process ol emigration. We htfre already seen, that in the opinion of those Ynen best qualified to judge, notwithstanding the im> aaense capacities of Australia for emigiation, the retourers of the colony it«e'f, in its waste lands are ample, nay, superabundant, if rightly used. Why then should we be placed in continual perplexity at home about the means of raising funds foi emigration? Why should our own relief, the relief of our poor, and the prosperity of the colonies, be any longer retarded? These are questions that must be satisfactorily answered at no distant day- Meantime 'the Government lias chosen rather to anticipate the revenue from land sales, tec;, for some years to come, than to raise the arinual revenue itself, by the recurrence to the modes adopted in most other parts of the world, it lias authorised 'the Colonial Government of New South Wales to consent to the isjue of debentures to the amount of £300,000, 6ecuied on the lands of the colony, for the purposes of eruigra'ion, having previously sanctioned the outlny of £100/00 similarly raised and secured. It is in consequence of this lastnamed movement that emigration to Austra'ia is stgnin and vigorously recommencing ; and will be still more vigoiously continued, if, as there can be no doubt, the Colonial Legislature has taken the steps above referred to, and winch will be, in effect, but carrying out the wishes oi the legislative Council of the Colony. The sales of colonial land, however, though the best, need not be the only source. We have multitudes of able-bodied poor to maintain out of the poor rates ; what objection can theie be to anticipa'e a certain safe portion of the receipts for some years, by means of a loan, to be expeided in planting those poor where they may add to our wealth by commercial production and interchange, inste d of dissipating it by thtir requisitions dur ng a state of enlorced id'eness? Of course such a loan n ust not exceel, and had better fall somewhat short of, the amount that the different unions would ci rtainly have to pay on the average to a number of a paupers equivalent to the number thu 1 ' disposed of ; so that tl c atc-paycrs should be directly benefited in the 'process by a rediution of their charges. If they thut see their interest tared for, they will be only the more certain to look afier the in crests of the country and the colonies, by doing their best to make emigration popular among the class chiefly concerned. The same principle may be I - plied in other directions Wa have prisons for the reformation of offenders. Why should not they be sent to the colonies as soon as they could satisfy their keepers of the p obability of their future good beliaviour, and the emigration fund be increased by a similar anticipation of their share of the current expenses of the prison ? How cheering is tl.e resull ol the experiment tried in connection with the boys from Park'iunt. During last year, some 35 0 were sent to Port Philip; and ridings of the file of 3UO of them were given in the last | rison report, from which we learn, upon the authority of the employers of one portion, that their conduct had been every thing that could be desired ; and the surgpon, who took out another port on of them, says, •• the Parkhunt boys ere excellent." Their reception by the colonists was as satisfactory as their behaviour in the colony. AH those who went in one vessel were engaged within five days, at wages averaging j£2o per annum, in addition to their rations. After all, employment, and change of scene and of connexions, with due preparatory discipline, are among the most potent influences that w e cad bring to bear upon our criminal class. With the with and habit, ue must remove the extreme temptations, to offend against the social laws, if ue are reallt In earnest in our desires for the reformation and welfare of the offenders. Another great source of funds is to be found in the adoption of the principle suggested by Dr. Lang's interesting experiment, that is to lend to emigrants the means of making tbeir way to the colonies, to be repaid from their earnings. Many modes might be devised of doing this safely and effectively. We venture to suggest one in brit-f detail. Let such debts be recoverable before all others, summarily, if need be, and for any length of time. Before it be paid, let the debtor he incapable of receiving any land licenses or grants from Government. On the other hand, give him a powerful incentive by declaring, that as soon as the debt is paid, he sbatl receive land for the amount, on the same termi as any other purchaser. Thus he will feel, that every shilling he pays ns " debt," is really only an investment in the best of all banks; ana the colony and imperial government will have accomplished their object of making the laud pay for the passage of the labour it requires. Even under the present prices this system would, we think, work well, became men in receiving such advantages would not look so narrowly at the charges for the land, as those

who are merely customer* and incur no obligation. In whose favour should the funds be used f We think, in the first plactf for ilic benefit of the United

Kingdomi by relieving it of Iti superabundant poor ; and in the second place for the benefit of the coloniei, by pouring into them the labour they require. Therefore a clear distinction should be drawn between all thoie emigrants whom it is our interest, as a nation, to ramore, and thoie who can put forth no such reasons for our help. To the first, the pauper and partially reformed criminal populations, give free passages ; for them endeavour bo to increase the emigration funds that the burdens of the couutry may become sensibly lightened. With them make no debts ; they will linvc enough to do to maintain themselves and establish families, and no further exertions should be required from them. But to the other classes— say of artisans &c, indeed to all other persons who can by their skilled labour maintain themselves at home, yet wish to go abroad— lo all these offer only, but that constantly, a passage on loan, to be repaid from wages, but which, when paid, shall cn'iile them to the full value in land of all their payments. This is in effect a gift of land to all such person*, but unaccompanied by any of Ihe circumstances that made the old system of free grants so objectionable. By this plan the labour must be on the soil before the soil is granted \ it must also be in proportion to the extent of the soil. It may be objected that men of little capital, who could pay for their own passage, would resort to this mode of sating such an outlay. Whit then? The result in such cases is only that you have Umpted out men of small capital into countries where they may be of the greateit value to the community by the gift of a very small piere of land ; whilst, on the other hand, but few of these men might have emigrated at all but for that temptation. Or, what ii still more to the purposr, it is but the same advantage* indirectly afforded to the •mall capitalist that is direct y Afforded to the Urge onr, who may buy in England land situated in the colonies, and obtain free passage for a given amount of labour in proportion to his puicliasec llcie then is a mode calculated, if we mistake not, to make emigration popular among all classes of the people, and to make it very effective in ameliorating our own condition, nnd in developing the almost illimitable- resources of our colonies. Our present arrangements are briefly these. Agricultural labourers and others capable of Libour, refcUy working for wages, and going out with that intention, may obtain a free passage for themselves, wives, and chili ren, to Australia, to far as the very limited funds permit. The New Zealand Company offer a similar advantage to similar ppruous, hut rereive ten times ns many applications as they can accept. Peisons unable to pay the whole passage money may, under certain circumstances, obtain loans, or a reduction of the charge, by means of the Society for the I'romotion of Colonization, at 7, Chat ing-cross. Lastly, persons purchasing land in Australia may obtain five tree passages for each £100 laid out. This ih all we aie at present doing as a nation to relieve oui selves, and populate our boundless colonial territories. In fact, we are now only attempting to consider the interest of the coloniei, and we fear not succeeding "very well in the attempt. Paupers are expressly excluded from the class of persons eligible for a free passage. This is done on the plea that the funds are from the colonies and therefore we should only use them in forwarding the labour the colonists themselves desire. But what ii | this but trea'ing the vast territories in question an the property of the handful of persons now settled there, instead of the property of the English nation and crown ? A poiition that in words our government decidedly objects to, but which it appears to acknowledge to i ge it extent in act. Of course, whatever injures the colonies injures us, since if they do not picsper we cannot send out the multitudes we wish to send out, to share in tlielr prosperity and relieve v->. It is (heir benefit, as well at our own, that we must seek. The solution of both problems, io fir as regards emigration, we believe will be foun<l in the development of some such arrangement! as those we have proposed, and which huve for their obj' ct to make emigration popular in England ; to p'ovide funds large at first, and constantly increasing with, and in fact because of, the increase of emigration ; and lastly, to use those funds, first for removing our pauper and partially reformed criminal population; and secondly for aiding in, or stimulating to, the removal of all others who wish to emigrate ; so that the mother country and the child may each help tho other in the way ii most necJfl hsl]>.