Addenda.

T He foregoing is a reprint from the report which appeared in The Examinee at the time. I have been induced to touch on some of these subjects by the interest expressed by the working-men in some of my remarks made at previous meetings of the Club. I would here call the attention of the working-man again to a subject that may come up for discussion—viz., the desirability, or otherwise, of introducing more population from outside the Colony. As the land speculator—the man who holds land to sell at a profit—is concerned, his interests are directly in the direction of the introduction of more population to reduce wages. Thus, land which cost 80s an acre to clear of bush, with wages at 7s per day, could be cleared at 15s an acre if wages were 3s 6d per day. This would make the land held by a speculator worth at least 15s per acre more to sell on this account alone, and people would give more for it beyond this, because labour was generally cheaper for all purposes. Working-men will perhaps think this out for their own purposes.

The return of mortgages foreclosed for a period of ten years, Mr Hogg, M.H.R., has so far not been able to obtain in time to include in this pamphlet. He is to endeavour to obtain it when the House of Representatives meets again.

As one more instance shewing the widespread ruin the system of money-lending has wrought to the settlers of New Zealand, it may be mentioned that one money-lending company still holds properties in this country which by careful valuation are valued by the company at over £3,000,000! These are all foreclosed mortgages, and are in addition to the enormous number of foreclosed mortgages already sold by this company. This means evictions by thousands.

G.D.H.