INFLUX OF POPULATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3201, 31 December 1892, Page 6 (Supplement)

INFLUX OF POPULATION.

One of the greatest complaints levied against the Atkinson Administration by the " Libeial Party "in New Zealand was that they, directly or indirectly, ,-aused the "bone and sinew " of our country to migrate to Victoria and New South Wales, which were at that time apparently in the hcy-dey of prosperity. Almost simultaneously with the advent of the T'allance Government, mutters in those colonies took a decided turn for the worse, and those who had been so anxious to leave o-ir shores were still more so to return ; but this in the case of a great many was an impossibility, as they were, to use a vulgarism, "stone broke." Hat now that opposition boats are running and fares merely nominal, each steamer brings over a large contingent of indigent people who have just managed to scrape together the necessary cash to bring them across. Thine, unfortunately, are not for the most part ot Uhe class who left us—who were principally fine sturdy young fellows, able and an xious to work, and whom we would welcome back most cordially, as being of the stuff of which successful settlers is composed ; but of the undesirable class, whose chief aim and object is to avoid honest work and live by their wits. The Government Press are laying the flattering unction to their souls that it is the " Liberal" policy of the Government chat is causing the influx. Events will prove whether it is anything to be proud of. This is what the Southland Times ha;i to say on the subject : — " The Ministerial policy is commencing to bear fruit. New Zealand is being Hooded with a most undesirable class of immigrants, in addition to a large influx of returning colonists ; every steamer from Australian ports bringing crowds of penniless people attracted by the belief that this is the very Utopia of .... In order to secure popularity with the proletariat, Ministers declared not, once but often, that they considered it was the first duty of the Government to find employment, at the current rate of wages, for everv man unable to obtain work for himself—a most mischievous doctrine, opposed to the first principle of economics, tending to destroy utterly independence of character and dam, at their source, the very spriugs of enterprise. As naturally was to be anticipated, the unemployed difficulty has been greatly intensified ; whilst the ordinary labour market has been gravely disturbed. The waiters on the providence of the Government are legion in every centre of population; whilst settlers in many parts of the country cannot obtain men for rou«b work, and have indeed to pay high for any description of service. Bad as things are at present in heavy special taxation and the keeping up by the State of an excessive rate of wages, the prospects for the future are still more discouraging. The very scum of Sydney and Melbourne is being poured upon our shores and, reinforcing, as they are bound to do, the ne'er-do-well population of our cities, are likely to constitute on element, not only troublesome, but dangerous to public order. Already under '- The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act" the ratepayers are heavily mulcted for the maintenance of destitute persons ; to the ranks of these hundreds, it seems probable, will b3 added every month ; since it is clear that the Government, however disposed to do so, cannot find work for the new arrivals in addition to the men already in the colony, whom they have practically encouraged not to exert themselves to obtain private employment. The outlook altogether is a very serious one for the real settlers in the colony, who have to bear (l the burden and beat of the day"; whose industries are handicapped by unequal taxation and legislation in the sole interest of the class upon whose support at the polls the Ministry depend for their existence."