THE HIGHLAND CROFTERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2203, 21 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE HIGHLAND CROFTERS.

The Highland crofters are by no means "ati.sfied with their propccti under the legislation that hin just been introduced to ameliorate their condition, and are oon-M-quently more di.spo>ed to entertain schemes <»f emigration than they were a shoit time airo. The Governments of C-mad-i and Queensland, as well as New 7ti tl.md, t«re interesting thernselven in promoting speci-il .settlements of these hard-workinjr tillers of the noil. But with the crofters, the idea of emigration to Canada, though there are .settlements theri», i» not regarded with f-ivor. The s.uin 1 remark applies )for other reasons t(» the Queen-land project ; but since the vi-it of Mr (John Allen, many of theii niis'joneepriom 1 expecting New Z "aland ;m m ii- Id for settlement have been reni'»ved, ,iud they now listen with consid'Table f.ivnr to the idea of a colony of them btinijf (\-.tabli^hed at Waikawa, on the east cust of the South Island. Sir Franci- Bell has been in communication with the Imperial Government on the subject for a considerable period, but he did not make much progress until the advent to office of the Earl of I) ilhonsie, who, during his recent visit to New Zoaliind, inspected the proposed special settlement, and considered it admirably adapted tor its purpo.se. Lord D.ilhousie is a warm advocate of the emigration of selected families of crofters to this spot, and recent interviews between him.-eH and Sir Dillon Bell lead to the belief that some concerted action in the way of assisting 1 the«e people to New Zealand may be possible. M<my landlords in the crofter.*' districts would be quite willing to contribute to a fund for this purpose, but for many reasons it is considered better to obtain Imperi.il as-i^t-mci 1 in pieference to that of private individuals. —London conospondent.