NEW ZEALAND AT A DISCOUNT.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 326, 20 November 1875, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND AT A DISCOUNT.

As a sample of good, free, outspoken language, it would uot be easy to beat the following letter- sent by an English girl to the wife of Mr. Burton, immigration agent for Taranaki—at the time lecturing in one of the Midland counties :—“ Mrs. Burton, —Madam : I received your letter the other day, but cannot say I thank you for it. I can assure you that you might have saved yourself the trouble, as I would sooner take advice from my own father than from a perfeet’stranger. I told my father I did not intend going to New Zealand until autumn ; neither do I, and if free emigration stops (which I sincerely hope it may with all my heart, as it will then settle my father), I shall be so glad, for I do not want to go, neither do any of us and if we do go it will be entirely to satisfy my father ; but I shall not go at all until I get enough money to bring me back if I do not like it, which I do not think will be a very likely thing. Fancy •taking me, a young girl, who has been used to company all my life, into a place where there was not a house or a soul for miles 1 I could not live. And not only that, but to be a slave ! for you very plainly give me to understand that I am to be such ; perhaps I am no better than a slave now, but I would rather be a slave in my own native land than in a strange .one. As to house-work, it would all depend upon what kind it was, as I have not been accustomed to very rough work, as I am not very strong, neither are any of us. Had my father gone when a single young fellow, without any incumbrance, perhaps it might have done him good, but it will never do so now at this time of life. I have no doubt it pays you better to send over a family than only to take

young men, therefore I suppose you would not care to take him if it was not for us. lam thankful that I have a very comfortable home now, and neither you nor any other person or country will tempt me to leave it at present; when I do so, I hope it mil be for the sake of a home of m y own. I wish you would kindly show this letter to your husband, and also to Mr. White, as he, I think, has principally been the cause of making my father discontented with his lot, which never used to be the case. You can also send this to my father if you think proper. —Yours, &e.” When that girl does get a “ home of her own,” we may be sure there will be some hard fights over the “balance of power.”—Au Z. Herald.