which most of the emigrants turned their eyes. The inter-colonial vessels took passengers from New Zealand’s shores at the rate of 1400 a month, for several months. It was a serious drain on a population of 600,000 people. The holds of the vessels were fitted up with temporary berths, and the rush of passengers was so great sometimes that cargo was refused. Additional steamers were placed on the service to deal with the traffic, and every sailing vessel had its complement of passengers.
The volunteering movement languished for want of men. Boy-labour was common, and in most trades apprentices found that as soon as they had completed their apprenticeship they had to continue at apprentices’ wages or leave; and they generally left. The State that had brought out thousands of immigrants at great cost a few years previously was now losing its population. It was pointed out that the colony spent £400,000 a year on educating its children, many of whom gave other countries the benefit of their knowledge. Large numbers of those who took part in “The Exodus” were married men with families. When they left, their families fell back on the Charitable Aid Boards or on private charity.
When it was seen that the colony was losing the flower of its manhood, public meetings were held to devise some means of retaining and employing the population. The scheme favoured most was the institution of a strong protective tariff on articles that could be manufactured locally. The substitution of a land and income-tax for the old obnoxious property-tax was also demanded.
Prices for produce continued to fall. Wheat had not been so low in the world’s markets for many years. After farmers had met the heavy interest on their mortgages and the ordinary expenses of the seasons, they had hardly anything left with which to improve their properties. Consequently, they offered little employment to farm hands.
The colony asked for a protective policy to foster industries and combat the invasion that was being conducted with remarkable vigour by Germany and America. The movement in favour of protection was pushed forward so energetically that
