COLONEL PITT AGAIN.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 41, 10 February 1864, Page 3

COLONEL PITT AGAIN.

(From the Weekly Age.) If Colonel Pitt is not fond of fighting himself, lie at least does his best to procure substitutes. In a time of war he has abandoned the profession of arms, and become an Immigration Agent for the New Zealand Government. Some months ago he returned to Victoria for the purpose of raising a volunteer force. He visited the principal towns, made eloquent speeches, and finally carried away nearly two thousand of the population. He ■ was to be the commander o£ ; the Victorian contingent. --■, He was to lead it no one knows : where j and, in. the event of liheir being any: survivors, he and they were to beat their swords into ploughshares and to take to rearing pigs and growing potatoes. -The inducement, besides the glory of shooting a Maori, and the prospect of being shot in return, was fifty acres of land with twelve months rations —and, we may add, the honor of- being , commanded by Colonel Pitt. •■/ The gallant officer, however, ha 3 left his corps to more or ■ less able commanders, and is here again on a second expedition of the same land. We suppose it is quite proper that a military officer of rank should take to this line of business. The General has no doubt taken the measure of Colonel Pitt's capacity, and apportioned to him the work for which he is fittest. But .at this juncture: it would more become a soldier to be in the field, leaving immigration in the hands of civilian.agents of the New Zealand Government., There was an excuse for Colonel Pitjfc on his :list appearance that; he has not got now. Afrthat- time the British force in New Zealand was confessedly unable to cope with the enemy for lack of men. There were strong objections to the method of attracting men to the service, but we could not refuse aid in the emergency. So successful, however, was the last immi. gration campaign, that Colonel Pitt is despatched on another. He is selected, probably, because of his former connection with this colony. If that be so, the influence he acquired under other circumstances is most • unfairly used. He knows how eager this colony has teen to obtain ■ fmffiigretn.ts, aiicL that population is introduced at- a large annual cost. The object of the military immigration agent is to people New Zealand_at our charge. Volunteer soldiers are no longer" - wanted, for G-eneral Cameron has already » more trained troops than he can effectually dispose of. Besides, the war is virtually at an end, so that there remains neither the glory of being shot by a Maori, nor the honor of being commanded by Col. Pitt. The scheme put forward by the New Zealand Government is a very shallow- but im-" pudent trick, and none but the ignorant can be deceived by it. What are the services required and what the remuneration ? For two and sixpence a day and rations the deluded volunteers are to be at the disposal of the New Zealand Govemmens for the space of three years. There is no duty, : however harassing, [dangerous, or degrading, that they may not be compelled to perform. They, are not soldiers but police; they are not wanted to fight the Maorics, but to keep them in subjection after the Imperial forces are withdrawn. We pay our police eight shillings per day, but the New Zealand Government calculate on procuring men at the rate of three and sixpence until relieved from " actual service," when they will be condemned, like convicts, to remain in one locality, and, at their own • charge, form -military posts for keeping the natives in check. Lest there may be any misapprehension of the terms of enlistment, we will state the conditions. Every volunteer is to be bound for three years to serve as a militiaman in any service the Government may think proper to employ him. A private receives two and six pence per diem, with rations and certain accoutrements. When relieved from actual service, the force will be divided into parties of one hundred, under the command of a captain. Blocks of hind will be surveyed and appropriated to them. Every private will have fifty acres .of. agricultural land and a town lot assigned him. Erom that time the pay ceases ; but for the first twelve months, whilst the land is being brought under tillage, rations will be given. Afterwards, the military settler will have to depend on his * own resources. Neither pay nor rations fall to his lot, and he must not absent himself from his location for more than a month, on pain of being treated as a deserter ! At the end of the period he may, of course, go where he pleases. Such is the service, and such the reward. Is the one ■ commensurate with the other? Is it;. worth while to be a policeman to make Maories " move on " for half ji^. crown arid rations'when on dufy, and neither rations; nor pay when not wanted. The land grant, instead of being a reward is a most onerous burden. Let persons who charmed with the prospect of becoming landed proprietors ask themselves what they are to do with fifty acres of heavily timbered, and densely under-; wooded country. They will not be permitted to sell, or even give away their allotments, except to persons who are willing to" perform the required services. They must not leave them ; and, after the firsttwelve months, they must raise sufficient for their sustenance, or V starve. Now, in any new country fifty acres ; are not worth the trouble of cultivation."- On . that quantity a man may possibly subsist, but h he cannot : progress into easy circumstances. ■■ But New Zealand country is, of all, tha most expensive and most difficult to bring under the plough. The labour of twelve months will, clear but a very small portion. But, granting that preliminary- is achieved, from whence are the implements of - husbandry, the cattle, and the seeds, to be detained? The Government undertakes to provide none, of these ; but it only insists ... i that the settler, whether he has means of sub- ! sistence or not, shall remain for three years. And it is to be remembered that the settlements will be fixed in situations favorable I only for the repression of Maori inroads ; and fitness for agriculture will not be regarded, or : at least in a very subordinate _way.; Moreover, „;' the lands being confiscated Maori territory, . there will be perpetual outrages and possibly organised attacks which - settleine'nts .of a hundred men may not be strong enough' to resist. The inevitable consequences of this plan are that the land will fall into the hands of the captain, who, it may be observed, is to have four hundred acres at the outset. The privates, destitute of the means of cultivating i their allotments, will gladly surrender them \J nru 1 t . * f»* food and a low rate of wages, liuhl Ui. t-h.ia have served out the prescribed time. * ■ _ll VI7JL A3 r .17X00 Are there people in* this o colony foolish enough to be entrapped- hy a scheme which -has •jribtteVenftt/he' merit ,of -being" aUuiipg?^ (The .trick is so close--to the, surface that -it may j.[ Me detected at 9r glance. >. -The. .NeAv Zealand c - Government .simply .want,, to get ,up,a kind^ofi . j irregular, .police to harass and ,k.sep ddw^the , „: Maoris, and a band of laborers to open up the t _ z ~j cpuatajj andf establish. , a > chain ortjcprnmuaaica-i} I 1 This is to be, accomplished by. practis-^^ f ißg on the chivalrous spirit asfWelLtaSithe^.V "eretdsUtyfj trfh , CglonelT -JPitb^hadf better; .adopt^tha^ilnst jresour£e/of <«& isoldiers of his fVpe — return to his regunente _ y * -jj \uoosa asudjus.