D.—No. lc.

6

FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE

Plackton, one of the best Gaelic scholars in the Highlands. He says it has been very tough work, because it touches on so many subjects, and that he would have had less trouble with a volume of sermons four times as large. I shall consult Maclachlan and Stuart as to his remuneration for this work. I think of remaining in Edinburgh for a few weeks, or doing what I can in the way of correspondence. Aberdeenshire will need a great deal more work, which I hope to overtake partly before harvest. Results are not by any means corresponding to the labour employed. But my expectations were not great, specially in regard to Aberdeenshire. I went there by request, however, and in the hope that something; might be begun, if not much accomplished. On the West Coast the people are intensely clannish, and, as a rule, fond of their church; consequently, any plain statement about special settlements, where they can live near one another and do work for themselves and others, is good. If the Scotch churches were alive to their duty, and would contrive to send a worthy minister to such a settlement, a great many would go. They are, moreover, most lamentably poor people in the Lowlands of Scotland, and in many parts of England have not the remotest conception of the state of the Highlands and Islands. They are hardly able to meet any terms laid down, and few of the people could have gone but for the timely help of Mr. Matheson. Then, New Zealand is so far away, and hitherto so entirely unknown to them, whereas America is only ten days by steam, and I suppose three weeks by sailing ship, across the Atlantic, to which in time past their friends have been going by hundreds, and Highland people generally by thousands. Hence the great difficulty is to make a beginning, especially as American emigration schemes, which are largely advertised, are long past the beginning. The same things are true about Aberdeenshire, except that relating to the poverty of the people: there they are, on the whole, pretty well off. Recently, however, there has been constant agitation about increase of wages, and many meetings have been held. The People's Journal, which is very largely read, has been full of letters, intimations of meetings, &c. At many of these, emigration has been proposed, but the cry is always, " Westward, Ho ! America !" They seem to have little knowledge or conception of any other country, and without much or any inquiry they go "ram-stam" at it. "It is near, and their friends are there." Then, a few large farmers have gone there from the country. These have written home such good accounts, that many are ready to follow. To this they are also induced by flaming advertisements on railway stations, gate-posts, &c., setting forth wonderful advantages, free grants of land, &c. Then the Allan Line, the Anchor Line, &c, are all busy. Michie, our agent for Turriff, is also agent for the Anchor Line. He sent seven to America by it in one week lately. He says there is no use his trying to alter their plan, for their minds are made up ere they come to him, and when they come, simply want a passage order. I can think of nothing to suggest further than a continuation of such means as I have been using hitherto, unfortunately with so little result. There must be a very decided advantage in more frequent advertising and posting bills. A good deal of this could be done for, say, £20, in the principal railway stations and elsewhere. I think of writing a letter in the People's Journal: perhaps it might be better to send the publishers my pamphlet on New Zealand, and ask them to reprint part of it —the whole of it bit by bit —instead of the sensational narratives wherewith they often regale their readers. It is well known the Scotch people are cautious, and do not readily take in a new thing. Once in, it is all right; but knowing my countrymen, I did not expect success all at once. They will take time, and it is quite alien to their ideas and ways to expect them to come and give in their names on the very evening on which they hear a lecture on New Zealand, a country of which many of them never heard before in their lives. We can only hope that by and by some may go, and when these write home of the good soil, climate, &c., of the facilities for getting land, of wages for making roads and railways, not a few may follow. They forget that in going to America they are only half-way when they are across the Atlantic; that they are still 1,500 or 2,000 miles from Minnesota, Nebraska, lowa, &c, which are looked to as homes by so many. Further, they never think of the dreary three, four, or even five months of winter in many parts of Canada and the Northern States. Of course I tell them that there is virtually little or no winter over the greater part of New Zealand ; yet to America they go. Mr. Cook, in Aberdeen, seems to expect little or no emigration to any other quarter for some time to come. 4, India Street, 11th June, 1872. ' P. Baeclat. P.S.—lt is strange how poor even the well-dressed girls in Edinburgh are. Two or three very nice girls would have gone by the " Ballarat," but they could not raise the £2 necessary' —£1 to take them by sea to London, and £1 for ship money; I have no doubt I could have got a great many more but for the same hindrance. I remember I had to advance about £3 to each of eight out of my eleven " May " girls last year, or thereby. Some were disappointed that I could not send them this year as I had sent those last year. I would gladly advertise and let applicants come to my house, and help them in any way I could, but lam so very much out of Edinburgh that this would never do. As a rule, these domestic servants and others do not understand, and will take little trouble to understand, forms and schedules ; they need kindly help in every way. P. B. P.S.—lt is matter of regret that the " Ballarat" does not take out more emigrants to Hawke's Bay, but wiser men than I (Mr. Matheson himself) expected that many more would have gone from LochAlsh. " P. B. I. E. Featherston, Esq., Agent-General for New Zealand.