IMMIGRATION FROM THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 296, 2 October 1873, Page 6

IMMIGRATION FROM THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND.

The follpwinc article qn the above auljjject has been handed tq us foe publication. We have, pleasure in cammeliding the Gqvernment tfye suggeatiqns, made py the fffitec pf the article :-^- The. fact of there being ample scope in the colony of New Zealand for the absorp; $ion of a large annual supply qf immigrants is. acknqwledged by mcii qf every ghade of pqlitical belief^ror disbelief, an<J the only d^bfiteab.le questions ar^-1, The character, of immigrants, most likely $q prove serviceable. ; ? ? The inqde of attracting the desiderated class. I pronose briefly to deal with these questions with special regard to the requirements of $he prqvince. of Otago, X. In regard to the first question, _the Resources, of Qtago are so varied that almost any man capable of hard labor, of pqund health and good character, must be a/lraittgd a desirable addition tp. thepopujatiqn j while for certain classes of skilled Jab,or, e.g., plqughmen, there is an ever|nqraas,ing demand. For th.c special setseme.nte», small" capitalists w^th families, ■^ho can combine fishing with agriculture, O;iid possessed, of s\}fficient seamansliip to carry on a coasting trade, appean especially required, where an almost unlimited supply of botti classes can be obtained at a comparatively «mall outlay, ;t shall my task in wliat follows to point o.ut. 2. The Highlands, of Scotland present *a moat remarka.ble degree tlie same physical features' as the province of Otago. Their inhabitants are also posse3sa<! A b& manj^ of $ie colonial qualii lies, especially a,n aptitiide to suit ihemselves to surrounding circumstances. Remote from any of the centres of industry, they are at once cultivators of the soil and fishejs. To them the sea is as familiar as the land, and their rude craft Undertake voyages of a length and duration that would surprise anyone una4uainte<i with the skul and daring of their crews. They are familiar with the ujae of tools of all kinds, while the women Prepare the clothing required for the use of th,e wh.ole family; It is not to be wondered that a, race so. well suited for conquering the wilderness has b,een eagerly invited to, relinquish their paternal homes, i'he Qanadian and other. North American polonies, have been specially energetic, and hava found the Scotch Highlander the best of colonists- Prom Prince .Edward's Island to. the Pa.cific 3 the. country dotted > with Qaelic settlements, and no expense is spared to induce a continuous current of immigratum. It is my belief ihat no, small share of this can be easily to New. Zealand, and in support oi niy assertion. I propose to iuquire at edtme length }nto the distinctive features I §f th.c Highland races. Jfike most Keltic people, th*e feeling of nationality is strongly implanted in the breasts of t^e Highlanders^, and this segregation is strengthened by their po3aessin^a sppken language different from \ that in general use among]" their fellow subjects. ' Th^ey view with suspicion all igho are no,t qf themselves, and caji be m.oxe easily led by- a single word" of their native to ( ngue~ than by the most studied |nci( brilliant orator^ of a stranger. The successful immigration agent must not pnly be a highlahder, but also the mem ber of. a known and respected family, arid an, able Gaelic scholar, lie must be above the petty vanity of " supporting the dignity; of his province, " and wander frimb.arn.lert to han\let, frd,m shealing to shealing, making the domestic hearth his lecture room, and winning the confidence of the people by showing himself one of Hospitality is the virtue of races,, and ' tlie Highlanders are yet s\\ffitciently civilised' to have forgotten it. ' Th,e highest favor that can be Conferred upon them is to share their sjcant bu,t wiolesome fare. A man possessed of, the qualities I have enumerated abo.ve. would, *ere he empowered to offer attractive inducements, be certain of a brilliant success. Chief am.ong these inducements I rank a system of direct transportation. To a nation the land journey to & port of embarkation present more terfrs than the voyage by sea. The whole est Highlands of Scotland is intersected by 'fiords, forming sure, and natural harV.ors, where the largest vessels of the navy may ride with safety. I propose that .in. one or other of thes,e the intending b/a shipped. Hardly second to this in importance is the craving for land ao marked a. feature i.n a people*' among possession of real estate means spcial distinction and ease. ' I suggest tha^ a.1,1 immigrants paying their owii passage "receive land orders equivalent to' their expenditure, and forming a legal tencler at land^ales, while all, T?ith.out exceptioiij be allotted a few acres, free of charge in one or Esther of the special settlements. The^nfinence'of the QighT^,nd clergy over their parishioners upijori,ous J and I suggest' that sufl^c\ent inducements be offered tp secure, the presence of one at feast of these geutlemen witb. each, ship Soad of immigraiits. ' ]$or must 1 the "almost feudal po.wer of many' of th,ei larger landed proprietors be forgotten — persons w.ho, l^ke Sir Kenneth ffif'Kenzie of Gairloch,, or th,e, Countess of Cfromarty, actually iiiQur loss by their yn willingness" to disturb^ the small Vvcrpfters " who occupy so large a portion tlieir estates'. Tl\ese proprietors wo.uld gfe,_dly aid the, efforts of au agent of known s&mily- and status, and in many cases wil|ingV contribute* a'pprtion of tbie expenses of expatriation,. " ' v 1 itytpgether, % belieye. an agent such as haye, de^ribed. untra.iu,melled by red tape "and paid entirely by "results, would prove more efficient than all th&expenaive Pwjhjnery ajt present in fnorce. ft must weVer 'always be, opme in mmd, that a proyince, if desirous of folding her pijrn., rbuat npt, to, bid high/

V'MagUm, "-said a lodgjg to, hjs landlady, 'h\ aai very' sure th^t pepper is half peas,"— 'SPejis 1 !; cried' the' fatly,' ft peaa. iudeed] pepper is, some of'tEe very- best.' You anyJidjig'. about pepper," *sir, if yoft say thereY peaa in. tfi/rt>"— ■'■' Foj' all th^t, madam." eadct the lodger, I'm snre thatpepper, ia lialf peAs^p-e-p-p-£..r__six' fetters'