The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, NOV. 27, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2556, 27 November 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, NOV. 27, 1888.

We have been persistent in the cause of settlement of the land, repeatedly referring to the question as one of most vital importance to the colony, especially when viewed in the light, of existing circumstances. Such opportunities as now present themselves in all directions, could not offer more pressing invitations for the adoption by the Government of a policy of laud settlement, on a very broad and liberal basis. We have already indicated in former articles the nature of the most conspicuous of these opportunities and advantages. The pity is that the Government appear to be allowing them to slip by without being availed of. Even the disastrous drought in Australia, which is visiting the colonists in the island-continent with ruin and driving them from the sun-dried waterless country that is being converted into a desert, can be turned to our profit to promote the occupation of our own more favoured land, as well as to find an outlet for the products of the farmers already here tilling the soil. Australians, who know that New Zealand is always free from such terrible scourges, possessing ample facilities for the depasturing of cattle and sheep and the cultivation of its fertile soil without the risks, to which they are so liable in Australia, would be tempted to come over to us in large numbers were we intent on a land policy remarkable for liberal inducements. The present measures of the Government are exceedingly half hearted and timid, and not, by any means, distinguished for that ready grasp of the situation which should, at this moment be encouraging an influx of settlers, both with

large and small capital. More than ever is it becoming evident how necessary to New Zealand is an increase in her population, equally as much to lighten the weight of taxation and widen its incidence as to add to our wealth-production, swell our exports and supply neighbouring markets with our products. The class of people we should encourage are those who would become permanently established on the soil. Amongst those who have endeavoured to procure special facilities for the settlement of particular classes of immigrants 1b Captain Daveney, of Auckland, who has frequently drawn attention to the suitability of the climate of New Zealand for time-expired soldiers of the British Army in .India. He elaborated a scheme by which ft considerable number of these military settlers and their families could be located on suitable blocks of land. His proposals have been favourably received by the publio, its feasibility endorsed by competent judges in the colony, and its nature approved of by high authorities in the Imperial service. Yet tho New Zealand (Jovornment, whilst reeogifising the importance of his plan, decline to offer Capt Daveney any assistance or encouragement for carrying it into effect. Very recently he found himself in a position to procure fcwely# hundred time-expired men from India, prepared to come to New Zealand to settle iu the colony.

These niea had between them as much as eight thousand pounds, eacli one with his family having a sufficient competence to begin life under favourable circumstances in their proposed new home. To settle these men Capt. Daveney asked the Government to set aside a suitable block of land for the purpose, but they would not accede to the request. Here we have an instance of the Government's neglect of the splendid opportunities afforded them in so many quarters of promoting the material and bona fide progress of the colony, which the recovered good sense of the people desire to see in preference to the unnatural, forced " leaps and bounds" of the wretched past. In the matter of population the colony at the present time may be said to be stationary, even allowing for natural increase. Therefore, it is all the more necessary to use every effort to stimulate increase of population from without. Captain Daveney'a scheme is of great importance from another point of view other than its mere economic value. The presence in the colony of a few thousand military men in the prime of life, who have been trained and disciplined to arms in the Imperial Service, would be of invaluable assistance in the event of war, when their services could be called into requisition.