EMIGRATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 230, 27 June 1872, Page 5

EMIGRATION.

(From Oie. HeeJilve.) The emigration question is ene ia which we are all interested, and some account of a meeting which was held the other day at Richmond, to hear an address from the Rev. Mr Cocks, the secretary to tho Emigration League, may not prove uninteresting. Mr T. Briggs, who will be remembered as taking a prominent part in the famous Cannon street meetings, occupied the chair. Mr Cocks dealt mainly 4 with the land laws, and said the Canadian Government were about to amend their land laws, and make them more in harmony with those of the United States, especially in the new territory (Manitoba). They were also proposing to mend their ways — highways, I suppose ; the railways were also being set about, but they wanted people. Yet they did not want doctors, parsons, or lawyers. They had a population of 3,484. 924, and an area of land of 3,359,315 square miles, or a fraction over a man to every square mile. The chairman proposed a vote of thanks to the rev. gentleman for his interesting story, but could not understand why there should be so much delay in the Colonies in adopting the land laws of the United States, seeing that with a less area the latter country had obtained emigrants from Europe to bring its population up to nearly 40 millions, in place of a little ever 3 millions as in Canada. Here was a lesson to New Zealand and Australia. As to the railway policy, it^ was just the same story. The United States gave away land on each side to any company who would make the line through the whole territory. Here was another good leaf to take out of the Yankee year-book and put into that of Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. After the meeting closed, the chairman invited the company to listen to the following lines composed by Mr Briggs for the occasion :—: — I am going to a Colony to try and push a trade, Sir, And hunting up societies for emigration aid, ! Sir. It's very true I found a few, who did not understand, Sir, , That emigration all depends on policy of I land, Sir. ! BOW, WOW, VT9W. Man, in his savage state, requires a square league, per head, Sir,

To keep him from starvation, as he docs not grow his bread, Sir, On fishing, hunting, taking fruit, depends his whole existence, Though nature does afford the brute a like means of. subsistence. The question with the colonies, if I'm allowed to ask it, Is whether they have their eggs too many in one basket : First of all, the gold basket is getting nearly full, Sir j Secondly, and lastly, comes the mutton and the wool, Sir. As to general agriculture, it's a thing they never thought on, Coffee, corn, and wine, and oil, the sugar, and the cotton, And a thousand other articles of general demand, Sir, From ships which bring the emigrants ta cultivate the land, Sir. I have been to a colony, and find it does not answer — I could not push a trade because I scarcely found a man, Sir ; It's very true I found a few who did not understand, Sir, The best colonial industry is cultivating land, Sir. Our readers will see at once the caustic reference to the land question to which the author of the song " attributes all the evils which have hitherto interfered; with a wholesome stream of emigration to oar oolonies."