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NORTH AMERICAN COLONIAL ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND.

Of all the plans referred to us by your Lordship for promoting emigration to Canada, we have found none which would appear to us more advantageous to the public, and more sound in principle, than the one proposed by this Association.

Their first proposal to the Secretary of State, in the month of July last, was to purchase a considerable tract of Crown land in Upper Canada and New Brunswick, upon condition that the purchase-money should be expended in the conveyance of emigrants to the colonies. We are not informed what answer was given by your Lordship's predecessor to this offer; but we have already expressed our opinion in favour of appro priating the proceeds of land sales in all cases of emigration.

At the present moment the three objects which the Association state that they have chiefly in view are all likely to prove beneficial to the colony. The first is to lend money to small capitalists for investment on the spot. To this purpose they state that they intend to devote 40,000l. The next is the formation of a railroad from Beauharnois to Lake St. Francis, at an expense of 30,0007.; and the third is to promote emigration by an adequate provision for the reception and settlement of the emigrant labourers. They would apply to this object the greater part of the sam of 30,000.. which they propose to use exclusively for purposes of emigra- tion. In consideration of these important undertakings, which are so well calculated to promote the prosperity of the colony, the Company suggests that the Government of this country, in conjunction with landed pro- prietors, should contribute in certain fixed proportions to the expense of conveying emigrants from the United Kingdom to Canada. The plan proposed by this Association appears to fulfil all the conditions on which the public money should be granted in such a case.

First, There is no spot in the two provinces in which it could be more desirable on political grounds to establish a British population, than in the county of Beauharnois. Next, it is part of the plan that ample provi sion should be made for the necessities of the emigrants upon their first arrival, and means be devised for enabling them with the least delay to take care of themselves. Thirdly, Capitalists are to be encouraged to settle in the neighbourhood, and a large public work is to be undertaken. Labour may by this means be expected to be in demand, and to be paid for in wages, thus affording the best security against the re-emigration of the labourers to the United States. Fourthly, The public money

is only asked to be granted in proportion to the advances made by private parties. We believe that the course of proceeding which we shall pre- sently advise will comprehend the object proposed by the Company's request. For it will be open to them and any one else, under necessary regulations, to offer a fixed proportion of the passage-money in this country, and thereby procure the removal of emigrants free of further expense; while as to the direction of the people to their estates in the colony on which they propose to hold them out such advantages, the local Government will, of course, take care that the emigrants are sent to those places in which there are the best preparations for their reception.

V. The next source to which we looked for pecuniary assistance towards our object, was that body of landed proprietors in different parts of the United Kingdom whose estates were burdened with labourers, for whom there was no longer any profitable employment. We have seen such gentlemen, coming within this description, as offered to confer with us, and we have heard from them both their own intentions and the intentions of others. We can have no doubt that whenever it is announced that the Government will contribute to the expenses of emigration in a certain fixed ratio to the contributions of private parties, a considerable_number of applicants will immediately appear. We heard that Lord Leicester had expressed his readiness to subscribe for such a purpose, and that many Irish proprietors, anxious to clear their estates, would come forward

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for the same object. The Highland proprietors assured us that they would readily assent to the scheme, and would subscribe largely; that they were now at a large annual expense for the maintenance of the unemployed peasants and fishermen who remained on their estates, and that they would gladly relieve themselves from this charge, which yearly became more onerous, by a considerable outlay at once. Some difficulty may be expected to arise from the numbers of the persons who would wish to take advantage of the plan;-but it must be our duty to endea- vour, by fixing proportionate contributions for each emigrant to be removed, and by other regulations of detail, to provide satisfactorily for the business. We think it right that, in this case also, and in all cases in which a portion of the public money is granted, the ultimate approval of those selected for emigration should rest with us.

Having now offered to your Lordship such remarks as we have to make upon the different sources from which funds may be derived for carrying on an extensive emigration to Canada, it remains for us to notice a few points connected with the modes in which it should be conducted, from the first selection of the emigrant in this country to his final settle- ment in the colony.

We have already submitted that the right of selection should be given to our Board in all cases in which any portion of public money is expended in defraying the cost of the emigration. For this purpose it would be our duty to frame the regulations necessary for the information and guidance of the public.

The outfit of the people, and their conveyance to the place of embark. ation, should be left, we think, to the parties by whom their emigration is promoted.

The arrangements connected with the shipping should, in a great degree, we conceive, be under the management of our department. The ships should be tendered to us, and then surveyed and approved by our agents, before they were qualified to take out people for whom public money was contributed.

And we should appoint, or at least approve, the surgeon, and have a control over his remuneration. We think, indeed, that one great benefit which would result from the Government's being a party to the scheme, would be that more efficient protection could be afforded to the classes against the frauds and impositions, as well as the sufferings, to poorer which, from their ignorance on all matters connected with this subject they are continually exposed.

Upon arriving in the colony, the emigrants should be immediately placed under the charge of the Government Agent, who should previously have communicated with the resident district agents, with the agents for public works, or with the managers of such parties or companies as had agreed to prepare for the reception of emigrants, or to find employment for them. And he should immediately pass them on, under proper precau- tions, to their destination. He should then return to us a register of all the emigrants who had arrived, and of the manner in which they had been disposed of, in order that we might satisfy Parliament that the public money had been properly employed, and that there was reasonable ground for expectation that the parties whom we had sent out would fix their residence permanently in one or other of the provinces.

It would be desirable that the Governor-General should report when- ever any public works had been commenced, or resumed, and labourers are required in considerable numbers for carrying them on, either on behalf of the Government or of private parties.

When, unfortunately, there is not a prospect that they can be well employed at wages, the only resource would be that of settlement on land. We should be averse to this expedient, except when indispensable; and with respect to the extent of the allotments of land to emigrants, we should he most favourable to that scheme which contemplated the most moderate allowance. By the report of Mr. Hawke, the Chief Emigrant Agent at Toronto, which was forwarded to your Lordship with a favourable notice by the Governor-Cieneral, it appears that the plan of five-acre allotments (out of the Government reserves) upon which families had been settled, and

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 885

1 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON

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