" OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1874.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 326, 16 June 1874, Page 2

" OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1874.

The Waikato settlers are indebted to Captain Steele fr>r having set them the good example of going to the fountain-head to procure the labour he requires. 'I he complaint has always been rife amongst country f-eltlers (hat recent arrivals do not find their way into the country districts ; this must continue to bo tlio case until the settlers take steps to remedy the evil by exerting themselves to induce the labour they rrqnire to leave the neighbourhood of the port, and, if necessary, assist- suitable families to do so. It is hardly to be expected that men who have just landed, and are of course utter strangers to the country, will tramp a number of miles to seek work when abundance offers in the suburbs of the city, although the work thero procurable may not be ?o well suited to their tastes as that to be secured by travelling. Ie must be remembered also that very few immigrants are blessed with a superabundance of cash on landing. bo that immediate employment is a necessity. We have spoken to several settlers on on this subject) and have usually received answers somewhat to this effect . " The risk of engaging new arrivals is too peat for us to incur ; even the legitimate home f.irm labourers are not worth so much to us as men accustomed to the work we have to do, and there is great risk of hiring men who pretend to understand farm work yet know nothing whatever about it. We must eogage men for a term at current wages or they will not come to us at all." The above is all perfectly true, but settlers must remember that it is to their interest to assist the Government to the extent of their power ; in fact, that unless they do so any system of immigiation, no matter how perfect in itself, must prove a comparative failure. They must also bear in mind that the value of the property they own depends to a great extent upon the supply of suitable labour to utilize it. We ask, therefore, would it not bo worth their while to train men for the work ? We take it that a homo labourer lias neatly as much to nnlpnm ns the novice to acquire. For the above i< ,i,on a w .ac sorry that the Government has signified its intention of discontinuing the free immigration system. We want population, and although all who have come to our fcl.oies may not be desirable additions to our mini-

beis, the t'wt is move owing to the m^'evt ot th >-c who have the management of our biiMiicss in Uio old country than to any inherent defects in the system ifself. The importation of paupers, for instance, can only be productive of evil. It is well known to all political economists that pauperism is hereditary ; the son follows the father into the workhouse as surely as the morning the night, and here, where we hare no workhouse, it is nearly u certainty that any of the breed will become " loafers" on society. No harm can be done, however, if men out of the pauper class, who do not come under the head of criminal, are sent out in any numbers. It is not difficult to forsee that the scarcity of labour, as it exisls at present in this district, will very greatly increase during the next-two or three years. The lessening of the freight by the partial completion of 1 ho rail way will induce settlers to cultivate their land instead of as at present contenting themselves with fattening sheep and cattle for the Auckland market. In addition, there are large tracts of country outside the Waikato district as it existed only twelve months back, being brought from a state of nature to one calculated to add materially to the wealth and prosperity of the colony ; this, of course, will give employment to a large number of labourers- We say get the people here and they will have to work for a living, and there is little doubt they would speedily accommodate themselves to circumstances. We trust that the example of Captain Steele will be extensively followed ; there will then in a short time be little cause to complain of scarcity of labour in the Waikato. Those who know of good men at homo who are likely to be willing to join them and share their fortunes in this colony should not fail to nominate them ; the nomination system is the surest, bnfc we fear that by its means we shall not get our labour market supplied. We trust, therefore, that when the Assembly meets, the Government will be induced t<> return to the frco system, if necessary under different management at home than at present.

Thkhe are few men who are possessed of the slightest powers of observation, having- had the opportunity of watching the system pursued by the Defence Office, who will not heartily endorse the resolution proposed in the Provincial Council by Mr Roche: — ''That in the opinion of this Council, the administration of the native and defence policy at the present time is not satisfactory to the province, either as regards the expenditure of the funds of the colony> or the general conduct of the Native Ofnce. That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to bring the above resolution under the notice of the Geneial Government." The colon}' is unanimous that to outer into another squabble with the natives, unless compelled, would be injudicious; consequently nobody lias bihen the trouble to enquire too minutely as to the means that are being adopted, entailiny a very large expenditure, so long as actual warfare does not exist ; the cloud of mystery, therefore, with which it appears to be the duty of every official connected with the Native Department to assist in enveloping the native question is not attempted to be dispelled. A question is asked in the Assembly, find the Defence Minister) rising from his seat, almost in a whisper, warns the interrogator that he is treading on dangerous ground, and that to answer him would be most injudicious. The inquisitive member is] not backed by the House, he therefore sits down discomfited, and nothing more isheard of the question ; apparent peace reigns, and nobody cares to trouble himself as to the means by which it is maintained. The belief is general, in which we only very partially share, that there is a smouldering fire beneath the surface only kept from bursting- into flames by the influence of the all-powerfal and not-to-be-questioned Defence Minister. We are not prepared even to insinuate that the Hon Mr McLean is not exceedingly well versed in the manners and customs of the natives, or that he has not on more than one occasion shewn great tact and ability in dealing with them. Mr Roche, however, hit the nail very truly on the head when he said that ct so long as we have a native department we shall have a native difficulty." Its officers are spread all over the North Island j they receive good salaries, but as is characteristic of the office itself, their work is a mystery to all but themselves. We are very strongly impressed with the belief that a great many still hold their appointmonts because of their power for mischief, which it is feared they would not hesitate to exercise were the pay from the colonial i exchequer to cease. The Native Minister has done good service to tho colony in the past, and there yet remains for him the most arduous task of all — that of getting rid of the swarm of confidential officials belonging to his department. If the let-lone policy were carried out in its entirety, we believe that tho native question would soon be at an end. The natives, by the care and trouble that has been expended upon them, have become greatly impressed with their importance, and have been led to tho belief that many of their absurd demands aro just, olso why tho trouble and bribery to induce them to live peaceably and not obstruct tho progress of the colony. If the proper policy of not taking the slightest notice of them wore pursued for a 6horfc time, and all bribes to remain quiet discontinued, wo feel confident that there would bo no further trouble with them. The colony must look to Mr McLean to get rid of the expensive machinery he has been principally instrumental in putting together. We have not touched upon the matters of detail alluded to in Mr Roches speech ; they have been well known to every settler for several years past. The abuses he alludes to are only the natural sequences from allowing a, Minister unquestionable power and an almost unchecked use of funds to aid in its exercise. The dispensers of grants of money for secret purposes have always been looked upon with great jealousy by people of all nations. Raise the <tiT.cn before tho native question in tho persons of i, -i f "flieers, and tho imaginary mountains of n,u < .üble will, wo predict, soon shrink to the dimc-ii-t>His of a mole hill. Mr Roche has spoken his mind pietty plainly, an example which we trust will be followed by members when tho Assembly meets.

A largo number of natives have been waiting for (ho last week to get to the great native meeting at WakuLinm. Thoy are waiting lor Mr Mnekay, who was expected to hand over a considerable sum of money. The Good Templar Standard, us is nenrly always the Me of journals Blarted to acUocalo an) particular opinion and that only, is deluin t

Our W.nuivu oorru-poiuli'til writes under date the 13tli ■ 11 ' 10 ? 1^ 1 ?, 1 rL ' Ce , lU>d y^^'. from a gentleman ' " i W l 'i 101I ItMV 1 tMVl ' II 1 hn « ttlo " g thß COllst from Port Waikato ™S » "?' UICr ° ' 3 htt '° doubt but that it w M the k to nn^^i lt ," : o1o 1 " rCC , k ° a on the coasfc > Port Wai- "!;! bu »daytl»o2lsfc ultimo. There has drifted ashore *2 1J °f, tele B™P ll 1 H« and Bawn timber, which corXii T lth P'l rt of th(3 c ''»-g° known to have been on board onopml-.-, .i' <U<?l i ca f k P aint^ white, with blue hoope, one end white, tne other blue, was washed ashore, which has been re,ogn 18 cdi« the one belonging to the Agnes: and a quantity of blocks and portion, of sails and rigging are strewed along the coast. The natives say there are lar^o portions ol a wreck lying in the surf, which can be seen at low wntor, and that they will try and recover some of it at buch tunes as it is possible t > do so. The natives saw nothing of the boat previous to the wreck. The greatest portion of the cargo, &c., that has been washed ashore is on the beach, about ten or twelve miles beyond Port Wa.Uto.— Croat - On Teursday morning, at an early hour, the launch Buona A enturo left Shortland for Piako, with Mr Thomas Morrm, Mr Richmond, solicitor, Tarapipipi, and another native, lne party arrived at Tarapipipi's settlement at half-past seven o clock. This is the first steamer that has been up 1101 10 1 iako, and the natives were immensely delighted with the sight. Tarapipipi was greatly pleased. Mr Morrin and mr Kicbmond were to proceed to a place about ten miles beyond Tarapipipi's settlement, where he bos an essate which he lias recently purchased. From thence they were to cross the country to Hamilton, after transacting their business with reference to j and purc basea in the Thames district. Wo {Herald) are indebted to Messrs Henderson and Maciariane, ship-brokers, for the following information respecting the arrangements made for the despatch of the next outgoing San Francisco mails:— The City of Adelaide i.due !" Auckland about the 20th instant, witn mails, &c, ex Mikado, whicWoceeds to Sydney to be docked, in consequence of grounding at Honolulu. She City goes South, and returns to Auckland on the sth July, proceeding direct to Sydney about the Bth. The JJacgregor which has been thoroughly repaired, will arrive here direct from Sydney about the 4th July ; leaves hero on the 6th with outward mails, &c., (brought irom the South by the City of Adelaide), to be transhipped at Kandavu into the Mikado for San Drancisco, and returns to Auckland about the 18th July witli mails ex Cyphrenes. for which she i« to wait. She then proceeds out, and returning, leaves Auckland ou the 3rd August for the through run to San Francisco.