The great drawback to the prosperity of infant colonies is
the want of a labouring class. In no part has this been felt
more than in New Zealand ; at this very time it is scarcely
possible to get a day's labor for less than from six to eight
shillings per day of eight hours; to remedy this evil the
colony has incurred great expense in importing labor. Oar
Provincial Governments have thus brought out laborers by
the thousand ; the concern of their agents has been number
rather than quality j and though many estimable characters
have thus been imported, the majority have been drawn
from the union workhouses, where those gentlemen have
been welcomed as the means of getting rid of the most
worthless and troublesome characters; the addition thus
made to the colonial population has sensibly affected the
general tone of society ; this is especially seen at electionSj
many of the voters having scarcely been six months in the
land before they became entitled to that privilege.
Thus whilst our Provincial authorities have loudly raised
their voices against the introduction of the penal system,
they have, in fact, introduced elements of a far more de-
moralizing tendency; for whilst it is possible to keep a
convict population under restraint by strict discipline and
stringent measures, here is a body of individuals introduced,
some of whom only differ from the former in being uncon-
victed, who are let loose on society, not only without restraint,
but with means furnished by the facility of acquiring
property, of effecting the greater injury.
