Let A Man Pay Not Only For His Board
And Lodging, But A Good Premium Likewise, For The Insight That
He
obtains into up-country life, then he is at liberty to work or not as he
chooses; the station-
Hands cannot look down upon him, as they do upon
the other cadet, neither, if he chooses to do nothing (which is far less
likely if he is on this footing than on the other), is his example
pernicious - it is well understood that he pays for the privilege of
idleness, and has a perfect right to use it if he sees fit. I need not
say that this last arrangement is only calculated for those who come out
with money; those who have none should look out for the first employment
which they feel themselves calculated for, and go in for it at once.
You may ask, What is the opening here for young men of good birth and
breeding, who have nothing but health and strength and energy for their
capital? I would answer, Nothing very brilliant, still, they may be
pretty sure of getting a shepherd's billet somewhere up-country, if they
are known to be trustworthy. If they sustain this character, they will
soon make friends, and find no great difficulty, after the lapse of a
year or two, in getting an overseer's place, with from 100 to 200 pounds
a year, and their board and lodging. They will find plenty of good
investments for the small sums which they may be able to lay by, and if
they are bona-fide smart men, some situation is quite sure to turn up by
and by in which they may better themselves. In fact, they are quite
sure to do well in time; but time is necessary here, as well as in other
places. True, less time may do here, and true also that there are more
openings; but it may be questioned whether good, safe, ready-witted men
will not fetch nearly as high a price in England as in any part of the
world. So that if a young and friendless lad lands here and makes his
way and does well, the chances are that he would have done well also had
he remained at home. If he has money the case is entirely changed; he
can invest it far more profitably here than in England. Any merchant
will give him 10 per cent. for it. Money is not to be had for less, go
where you will for it; and if obtained from a merchant, his 2.5 per
cent. commission, repeated at intervals of six months, makes a nominal
10 per cent. into 15. I mention this to show you that, if it pays
people to give this exorbitant rate of interest (and the current rate
MUST be one that will pay the borrower), the means of increasing capital
in this settlement are great. For young men, however, sons of gentlemen
and gentlemen themselves, sheep or cattle are the most obvious and best
investment. They can buy and put out upon terms, as I have already
described. They can also buy land, and let it with a purchasing clause,
by which they can make first-rate interest. Thus, twenty acres cost 40
pounds; this they can let for five years, at 5s. an acre, the lessee
being allowed to purchase the land at 5 pounds an acre in five years'
time, which, the chances are, he will be both able and willing to do.
Beyond sheep, cattle, and land, there are few if any investments here
for gentlemen who come out with little practical experience in any
business or profession, but others would turn up with time.
What I have written above refers to good men. There are many such who
find the conventionalities of English life distasteful to them, who want
to breathe a freer atmosphere, and yet have no unsteadiness of character
or purpose to prevent them from doing well - men whose health and
strength and good sense are more fully developed than delicately
organised - who find head-work irksome and distressing, but who would be
ready to do a good hard day's work at some physically laborious
employment. If they are in earnest, they are certain to do well; if
not, they had better be idle at home than here. Idle men in this
country are pretty sure to take to drinking. Whether men are rich or
poor, there seems to be far greater tendency towards drink here than at
home; and sheep farmers, as soon as they get things pretty straight and
can afford to leave off working themselves, are apt to turn drunkards,
unless they have a taste for intellectual employments. They find time
hang heavy on their hands, and, unknown almost to themselves, fall into
the practice of drinking, till it becomes a habit. I am no teetotaller,
and do not want to moralise unnecessarily; still it is impossible, after
a few months' residence in the settlement, not to be struck with the
facts I have written above.
I should be loth to advise any gentleman to come out here unless he have
either money and an average share of good sense, or else a large amount
of proper self-respect and strength of purpose. If a young man goes out
to friends, on an arrangement definitely settled before he leaves
England, he is at any rate certain of employment and of a home upon his
landing here; but if he lands friendless, or simply the bearer of a few
letters of introduction, obtained from second or third hand - because his
cousin knew somebody who had a friend who had married a lady whose
nephew was somewhere in New Zealand - he has no very enviable look-out
upon his arrival.
A short time after I got up to the Rangitata, I had occasion to go down
again to Christ Church, and stayed there one day. On my return, with a
companion, we were delayed two days at the Rakaia:
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