PUBLIC MEETINGATWINTON, IN FAVOR OF IMMIGRATION.

Southland Times, Issue 1030, 30 September 1868, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETINGAT WINT ON, IN FAVOR OF IMMIGRATION.

(fbom a cobbespondeot.) of settlers was held at Mr< M' Williams' hotel, Winton, on Saturday, the 26th ihsfcptb discuss the Necessity of Immigration to this Province. Mr C. $ Sprpull was cajledtq the chair, and briefly iexplaaried the object of the meeting. He Btated that although not an employer of labor himself to any extend, j»'-gaw:ti>e; advaatages of intro- ; ducing a suitable ckss of Immigrants. He dwelt on thtf-necessity I ' of developing our agriculture, ;%q$ of the adyantagea thaf would result from bringing the P^^raorSEßou^and^inpre prominently beifSre'^ie ' sgrioulturai; .^pulatidn J of

Q'reat Britain, as a colony adapted to the wants of intending emigrants. A letter was read from H. Armstrong, Esq., regretting his unavoidable absence, and expressing his views on the subject. He (Mr Armstrong) deplored that the criopled state of our finances did not enable fcbe Provincial Government to deal materially with the subject. He gave several reasons, stating that he thought the General Government ought either by endowments or out of the general revenue to make provision for the diffusion through the provinces of an energetic class of immigrants of both seX es— he had little faith in assisted immigration unless -a careful discrimination was shown in the selection of those to be assisted, and his letter by saving that a population must not be forced into any particular part of the colony unless that part is "fitted for its reception. That immigrants should be landed in the colony and allowed to seek their own hunting grounds. Mr Getfrge Brown said lie deplored the exhaustive state of things that is going on in this province, seeing that the pastoral and agricultural interests are likely to be the only stay of the province for some years to «ome. He thought that one of the great aims of the Government ought be to make the province self-supporting to as great an extent as possible ; large sums of money are being continually sent to other colonies for what we might well; produce, here and thereby keep the money circulating amongst ourselves instead of sending it to enrich other places, but that owing to the unwise policy of past Governments, it is" ruinoW to- carry on-:agriculture v at present, and that one of the greatest remedies will be direct immigration from the. old, country. To .place us in a position to compete with other colonies we must get people that will not look with contempt, upon settling; -upon land of, their own, and unless we can succeed in getting people to settle permanently 1 among us the effect will be ruinousrr-we cannot stand still, we must either increase or decrease. He then moved the following resolution '■*— ** That thisp meeting is of opinion that want of immigration for years past has' tended above all other causes to retard the progress of the province*, and that -we urge f , those in authority to institute some ' Workable and system of immigration with the least possible .delay/? • ■ l This was seconded by Mr Arthur Gerrard, who mtieised Mr Armstrong's views as being those of a Centralist. An amendment of 'Mr "W. Bussell lapsed for want of a seconder. After a long discussion of a conversational character the. Chairman was requested to forwaad the above resolu- ' tion to J. M. M'Clure, Esq., M.P.C., to bje laid before the Provincial Council at its next meeting. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.