THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." DUNEDIN, THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1862.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 149, 8 May 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." DUNEDIN, THURSDAY, MAY 8, 1862.

The Report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the present Immigration and Land Regulations, and to consider

the suggestions of his Honor in reference to the introduction of the Free Grant system, wa presented to the Council last night, and was all but unanimously received. Without committing ourselves to entire agreement with it, we must do it the justice to say that it is a document evidently, prepared with thoughtfulness and care, and that it contains some valuable hintsThe Committee recommends a continuation of the present system of immigration, or rather the resumption of the one which was discontinued when the gold 'fields were discovered. The Free Grant system they are strongly against. The reasons they give are mostly those tha were urged at some length in these columns* when the proposal was first made known. They also object to it as involving " the aban- " donment of the.principles upon which assisted " immigration has heretofore been conducted, " the most prominent of which are : First, to "avoid bringing out people ■■' in forma.pau- " peris,' but simply to make" a temporary ad- " vance, which can be availed of without compromise of independence and self-respect. " Secondly, to confine such assistance to such " persons as must of necessity on arrival go " i nto the labor market, and by that means " bestow a benefit upon the community, which "goes as a return for the benefit obtained in •' an assisted passage." Seeing that we arrive at the same deduction, it is hardly worth while quarrelling with the process by which it is arrived at, otherwise we should consider the plea of the departure from the first principle laid down rather a fanciful one. We are not prepared to allow that the fact of the Government paying the passages of immigrants, or offering any kind of inducements to immigration, would entail any •'compromise of independence aud self-respect." The immigrants know that their presence is desired, and whatever temptations are offered to secure it, they deem the bargain n mutually satisfactory one, for which they are not called on to feel any gratitude. As far, therefore, as the Free Grant system is concerned, we believe the immigrants would feel as little under obligation for it as they would for any other ■form,-.of assistance lent to them to induce them to emigrate. The other reasons stated are, however ■ quite sufficient to disapprove the free grant system.

But, using their own argument against themselves, we must say that the assisting immigrants to come out by loans of money, i amenable to the very objection which they make against the free grant system. Of al forms of assistance that of making the immigrant a debtor for the amount advanced for his passage money, is most calculated to compromise his independence and self respect. And this not because of any gratitude he may consider he owes for the assistance, but because the recollection of that assistance is always forced upon him, during the time over which the debt is allowed to run. In all cases debt entails a certain amount of .forfeiture of independence, but how much more so when the debtor is at the disposal of the creditor as to the terms of re-payment. Even supposing the suggestion of the committee were adopted (and it is a good one) that in place of promissory notes payable on demand, bills should be given payable at a fixed period, the deb would still be felt as a load of responsibility, and the same desire would be entertained to get the Government to extend the term of payment. Again the espionage (call it by what other name you will), that the Government is bound to keep over the movements of the immigrant who owes it money, is most destructive of selfrespect, aud most distasteful. The proposition seem so clear to us, that we cannot understand how any doubt can be expressed that the immigrant who lands clear of any liability, no matter what assistance was granted to him for his passage, feels more.independent than he who knows that the Government holds ; his note of hand for a debt incurred in paying that passage.

Again, all that has been said concerning political action being taken by men whose interest it is to use their political power to serve their private ends, doe 3 not admit disproval; 'An extension of the time for re-paj'ment by the. assisted immigrant,' is as likely to become a watch-cry as that of ' the removal of -he restrictions that cumber the freegrant warrants.' Kay more, the cry would assume a considerable appearance of justice, when, as so 'ncr or later must be the case, the Province offers free or partly free passages to emigrants." "Why should they come out free, and we have.to repay our passage-money ?" will then be the argument, .and it will be very difficult to dispose of it by referring to the different "circumstances under ■which the two arrangements were made

Lastly^-thSreis aiiothfer view' whiclrdoes hot seem to have obtruded itself, and which alone ought toforuid the continuance of the present system.' ■'■'•;.". It is scarcely possible to overrate the influence thrown into the way of an unscrupulous Government by the power being left to it of disposing of the cases of a large number of persons, to'whom-it. stands in the light of a creditor. •■ It is admitted that each case has to be: dealt with by itself. Indeed, howev.T. definitely the bills might state the tiiiie of repayment, it would be a glaring breach." .'of faith to force anyone to pay who really was not in a position to do so. " You will do well in Otago," say the agents to the emigrants; "the lie-payment; of the money will be a-light burthen on you."-! How could this be recori'ciled with pressing a" man who had not the money to pay ? if individual cases are to be dealt with, how is the line to be drawn between personal and political sympathy ? Unscrupulous governments are not amongst tilings unheard; of, and what is to prevent the elector with correct opinions having additional time accorded to him, and the hostile voter, being, pressed? We foresee that;the present system will in time unfold evils,' which in the nature of cirstances it has hitherto been impossible, to recognise. ■ ~ \ We believe that with the high inducements offered by other colonies, the mere offer to lend the passage-money will induce but few, to come, who otherwise' would not ,do so. If it be necessary to'entice immigrants, .we are convinced the inducement of paying a considerable portion of their passage-money will have to be employed. In Victoria the. plan has b en found to work well of selling passages to people in the colony at half-price to send home to those of their friends they desire to bring out. For instance, A wants to send : home for his friend. B, arid he is enabled to do so by paying half what the passage otherwise would have cost." The nationalities of the United Kingdom are devideel so that only a certain number of the free passages are allowed' to. each of them. Perhaps it would be premature to introduce the system here, otherwise it might be adopted, by a certain per centagc of the3land fund being set apart for the purpose, and the landowners of the district, in proportion to the amount purchased, be permitted the selection of a 'proportionate number of immigrants. The committee, by the bye, goes out of its way to praise the", present agents of the Province, and to condemn the selection of other agents in other-parts'of the UnitedKingdom. . The remainder of the report, which refers to' the land regulations we must postpone the consideration of .until another opportunity. We are sorry to think that the present session will pass' over without any conclusion being come to concerning alterations in the land regulations, which certainly are greatly required.