AUSTRALIAN EMIGRATION,

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 684, 3 November 1852, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN EMIGRATION,

[From the "Times," M.ij 27.] The efforts at present going on to stimulate emigration to Australia, although not so united and comprehensive as could have been derived, are far from unimportant. In Yoiksiiire a number of merchants and manufacturers have formed themselves into a body under the title of " the West Riding Association for the Promotion of Emigration to Australia," and in London there has been organised, uud<n- llie pationage of Prince Albert, a society " for assisting emigration from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland." In each case the rules adopted are nearly similar. Free passages are to obtained for the emigrants from Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners to such an extent as may be practicable .under their regulation*, and the funds of the societies are to be employed in Io mis of a sufficient amount to provide thcdepo-.it money and outfit which v thc Commissioners in eveiy instance require to bo forthcoming The London society purposes nho to furnish the means of enabling tho<<c' 'members of families to j, iv in the movement who would otherwise be' excluded on account of inuligibUity for a free government passage by reason of age or other circumstances. Both societies stipulate that thuir advances shall be repaid within defined periods, and the parties making such repayments are to have the privilege of nominating- some tr'K-nd or relative for a new loan of like amount. It is at the same time to be an imperative condition of th'- Highland emigration that the landlords irom whose estates the panics are removed shall contribute one-third of the sum advanced. As the funds of these associations are to be supplied by voluntary subscriptions, the extent of their operations will depend entirely on the viow the mercantile public may take of the ur<cn<_\ of the crisis ; but it is understood that considerable amounts have already been raised or promised, and there is consequently a prospect of speedy results. At the same time there is reason to hope that whatever may be the extent of the usefulness of the t*\o bodies in dialing- with the existing- emergency, the) 7 will lay the foundation of miii !i iiioiv valuable pro* eotlm&->. Although | they prominently recognise the doctrine that their duty to the emigrants thamflvcs should forbid the exercise of a pauperising charity, and I that the self-respect of these parties should be preserved by the understanding that no favour is conferred upon them beyond one honest man may take fiom another and yet retain his independence, the principle is only carried out in a very imperfect degree. The Yorkshire Association, it is true, intend to charge interest, but they make no provision for assurance against casualties, while with regard to the London Society, the repayment of the bare amount advanced appears to be all that is required. The pauperising system is, therefore, only mitigated, and not entirely abandoned. The man who takes a loan of money without intending to pay interest, is just as much a recipient of charity as he who lives in a house (such as a county union) without paying rent,and the same holds good if he permit a risk to be incurred for him without meeting the fair rate of assurance. Before the societies can attain any perfect results these features must be altered, since otherw ise they can be regarded simply as administering a palliative which may do much good in the basic of the moment, but which will be found to have no sustaining element after the sudden iiiipulse of benevolence or apprehension to which it owes its adoption shall have subsided. Under existing circumstances, however, it would probably not "be in their power to act immediately upon a large scale in any other way than that which they now propose. If instead of the "charity system of free passages under Government regulations, the plan of making- advances upon a j remunerative system had been originally adopted, I the public would by this time have become familiarised with it ; the rates of risk would have been as well known as those of any other form of adventure, and capital would have been forthcoming to an amount only limited by the demand. But this experience has now to be attained by slow degrees, and it will be one of the advantages of the societies, that even with their present constitution they will furnish it to some extent, although only in a partial and unfavourable manner. To obtain it in its clearest lorm, the emigrants should be kept from a sacrifice of independent feeling- in any way — the transaction should be understood as one of mutual advantage, and the pride, which in fact is the sole security of the lender, would thus be not only unimpaired, but would be healthfully stimulated -at the Outset. Under such circumstances, also the funds of the colony, instead of being squandered would remain applicable to their legitimate purposes in the construction of internal improvements that would at at once, as in the United States, by giving a wider choice of employment, increase to a still greater degree the prospority and moral tone of the colony, and the certainty of the immigrants' position.