The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2549, 10 November 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to .ill men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, NOV. 10, 18S8. Few Ministries have been favoured with good opportunities like the present one. Of these no opportunity for winning the confidence of the people, and promoting the permanent settlement of the country has been so favourable as the one presented by present evems. First, there has been growing up a real desire for land for bonafide occupation on the part of that class in the colony, chiefly resident in the large

cities, who possess small capital and seek to enter upon a rural life. This is an opportunity that needs following up in order to encourage a tide of still larger numbers from this class towards the country districts, Then, again, there is the important movement in Great Britain to stimulate State-colonisa-tion in co-operation with the colonies in order to settle portions of the waste lands of the latter with tho surplus population of the former. This is another opportunity that should not be. neglected to provide us with that essential economic factor —population —necessary for our own material progress. Lastly, there is the recoil of the exodus wave, which for some time back has been carrying away our population and would now return them again to the shores they lately deserted. The discontented wanderers are turning their eyes again to New Zealand, willing rather to put . up with the ills they suffered here than face the greater ones in parched, arid Australia. We could readily forgive the Atkinson Government many of the Inches of their policy if they were to take prompt and decisive measures to throw open the Crown Lands for settlement on a much more liberal and generous scale such as we have often advocated, in order to afford these restless, nomadic classes, an opportunity of finding an abiding place on the soil where they can labour wiih some prospect of a return for their industry, and become wealth-pro-ducers. It is most important that the utmost means should bt provided by the State to settle people on the land and make them contented, and after what these have seen of the other colonies the lesson will be salutary and they will. We more ready to fix their attention in future to striving to make their homes in the colony without seeking to leave it again. We must have as few people as possible moving from province to province, to and fro between this and the other colonies. So much perambulation is a direct injury and loss to the colony, and disastrous to the pilgrims themselves. We must locate them, their labour and their industry, permanently on one spot, and give them every reason to be satisfied with their lot. Thus with the returning tide care should be taken by the Government to make it advantageous to the country, even to the length of extending the regulations under the present Act in force by acting on their own responsibility in order to meet the position arising by the return of JNew Zealanders from Australia. It is, we admit, a bad precedent to propose that a Government should go beyond the law, especially where the action carries with it the expenditure of |.üblc money, without the sanction of Parliament. Under the circumstances, the effect of giving liberal opportunities and encouragement for a large and important increase to the permanent settlements of the State lands, the gain would be on the side of the colony, and the end to secure it would justify the means. Every day we have fresh evidence of the superior capabilities of New Zealand's soil and the excellence of the produce of her farm lands. Dr. Newman M. H.R., who has returned from the Melbourne Exhibition, speaks in the highest term of praise of the cereal and other agricultural exhibits from this colony, and points out that already first prizes have been awarded for beer, honey, oats, barley, tares, grasses, potatoes, cheese and salt beef. Here again we find support in our oftrepeated contention that New Zealand's future and greatness must be gained from the fruits of her soil. Therefore, the more people we place on the soil, and as speedily as possible, the better for our immediate progress and future welfare.