ess, and they atone as much as they possibly can for previous
error.

SYSTEM OF IMMIGRATION RECOMMENDED; ENCOURAGEMENT FOR EMIGRATION.

Still there can be no doubt, but that the evil complained of is
considerable. It is from this reason, and from my personal knowledge of
the southern parts of the colony, that I should rejoice to see its
flats and its valleys filled with an industrious population of a better
description of farmers. A hope might then be reasonably indulged, that
the Home Government would not be backward in recognising, and in acting
upon a principle, the soundness of which has been felt and acknowledged
in all ages, but the chief difficulty of which rests in its judicious
application. I allude to a system of emigration. Sure I am that if it
were well organized, and care were taken to profit by the experience of
the past in similar attempts, it could not fail to be attended with
ultimate success. The evils resulting from a surplus population in an
old community, were never more seriously felt than in Great Britain at
the present moment. Assuming that the amount of surplus population is
2,000,000, the excess of labour and competition thus occasioned by
diminishing profits and wages, creates, it has been said, an indirect
tax to the enormous extent of 20,000,000 pounds per annum. It has
appeared to many experienced persons, that it is in emigration, we
should best find the means of relief from this heavy pressure;
particularly if the individuals encouraged to go out to the colonies
were young persons of both sexes, from the industrious classes of the
community. Even if no more than three couples were induced to emigrate
from each parish in England in ten years, the relief to the springs of
industry would be very great. Besides, the funds necessary for this
purpose would revert to the country by a thousand indirect channels.
Persons unacquainted with our Australian colonies, whether Van Dieman's
Land or New South Wales, can form little idea of the increasing demand
for, and consumption in them of every species of British manufacture.
The liberal encouragement given by government to every practicable
scheme of emigration, and the sum advanced by it towards the expenses
of the voyage to the labouring classes, sufficiently indicate the light
in which the subject is viewed by the legislature; and the fact that no
private family taking out servants to Sydney, has in any one instance
been able to retain them, on a