EMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 164, 23 July 1879, Page 2

EMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND.

The following letter from the AgentGeneral, in reply to a communication from the Hon. Robert Stout, who was then Minister for Immigration, was laid upon the table of the House yesterday : 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S. W., 7tli May, 1879. Sir, —Ihavethe honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 4fi, of 4th February, 1179, in reply to mine of the 29t0 November. It is evident-from-your letter that a misunderstanding has grown up on my part with respect to the views of tiro

Govorinm-tif regarding- tin-- steps to be taken to induce farmers to emigrate lo Now Zealand, and on your part with respect to my conduct in the matter. A

r iiie remark in my ielfei r of the 29th •o*o\eniner, winch you Cjuote, was made under a misapprehension ot the particular, purpose to which it was desired the the Rev, Mr. Berry’s services should be directed.

As Rrgards Mr. Reed, I do not think I had any knowledge at tho time of his appointment, p thought it was intended that Mr. Berry should assist tho oidinan emigration, and my remark was meant to point cut that" it seemed to me useless to eihplojt a lecturer to promote that cm;grati|u, at a time when I was not authorised 4 send out any hut nominated emigrants. No doubt an impression had grown up in my mind that the Government did not wish mo to take any special steps to encourage the emigration of fanners. I did not suppose that they wished such emigration discouraged, and you are mistaken in supposing that I have discouraged it, or prevented farmers from emigrating. But the impression 1 had arrived at-was that 1 was not to search out farmers and give to them such encomagement as might be supposed to center on them a claim to ask of the Government why they were invited to come out, and where w’as the land they were to settle on. On looking through the correspondence I am not prepared to entirely justify the impression. At times there were references to the desirability of fanners emigration. But when I first came Home, and on other occasions since, I have asked for permission to print tho land law’s in full, and asked that a precis of them should be sent to me for publication, from the colony ; and, through my not receiving the information’andypd’mission, the impression, perhaps had grown up in my mind that the Government thought the demand for land in the colony was so large that it would not be -*safe to specially recommend emigrants to go to the colony under the conviction that Government land would be readily opened to them. On more than one occasion I had made arrangements for putting on a special ship for farmers, and then withdrew from the operation for fear I should be exceeding my duty. Ido not wish to argue that my impression was correct. I am stating to you plain facts, and it may he that my conclusions were hastily arrived at. How’ever, as I have said, you must not suppose I have discouraged the emigration of farmers. Qn the yC-ontrary. I have encouraged it as’far as I could without undertaking jGi responsibility for which I feared 1 be censured bv the Government. \

Before concluding my reference to the past I must take leave to express my regret at the apparent meaning of your concluding rcma.xk that “ many emigrants 'have been despatched that had better not have been sent.” disappointed at your opinion of the result of uiy endeavors to select suitable emigrants, it by this remark you mean that an undue, number of unsuitable emigrants lias been -sent. That some emigrants of the mdjiy despatched have been unsuitable is, of course, the caso ; and no human being’s foresight or care could guard against such a contingency. But I was under the impression that the number of the unsuitable was kept within limits which satisfied, you, for scarcely has a ship arrived in the colony without the commissioners 01 emigration agent expressing approval of the emigrants sent, cither on the arrival of the ship or in quarterly reports. I have only to add under this head that the officers under mo, as well as myself, have done the very best we could to obtain the most suitable and serviceable emigrants. . J

Your letter under reply, apart from its apparent reflection on my conduct, Ims given me great satisfaction, for I feel that it justifies ; me in going to greater lengths in the way of procuring fanners as emigrants than I previously supposed I was warranted in doing. I have lost no time in going to work in this direction. I have prepared a pamphlet, which is now .being printed, which will contain, in addition to a brief introduction by myself, copies of the recent land laws, of the land tenure, maps, and a mass of other information suitable to persons who think of settling on the lands in the colony. I havo arranged to put on two* vessels for farmers specially, one for Otago and one for Canterbury, to carry only one class of passengers, to whom superior accommodation will he afforded to that given to ordinary emigrants. This will •meet the case of men who cannot afiord saloon passages, and who object to the possages usually given to emigrants. The passage money will be £2S a head. I propose in some cases giving assistance, to the extent of LlO per adult, to families that seem to me particularly suitable.

Finally, Mr. Berry and Mr. Reed both heartily approve this step, and will, do their best to fill up the vessels witbli desirable emigrants.

I trust that this frank explanation will disarm any impression on your mind that I desire to set up any views - in opposition to those of the Government, or that I have felt reluct an ce_in, giving effect to their wishes. I equally hope you will approve of the steps I have taken. I believe the initiation -of this new emigration will prove of infinite value to the colony.—l have, &c., , Julius Vogel, ? Agont General.The IT Du- Minister for Immigration. ■ - -