CO885(1-2) — Page 277

EMIGRATION.

THE emigration from the United Kingdom is directed almost exclusively to three quarters, viz.:

1. The United States,

2. British North America,

3. Australia.

The emigration during the years 1848 and 1849, was as follows:

1848.

1849*.

To the United States

188,233

194,749

British North America

31,064

47,940

Australia

23,904

31,977

All other places

4,887

6,396

248,089

281,052*

Considered as a relief to surplus population the emigration to the United States and British North America can alone be looked to. Independently of

the

expense of emigration to Australia, which, in- cluding outfit, can scarcely be less than from 16 to 181. per adult, the Australian colonies would, for the present, be unable to find the means of employing

a larger number of immigrants than are now sent there. The whole number of emigrants who have been dispatched to New South Wales and South

• The Emigration Returns for 1849 are not quite complete,

the returns from those ports at which there are no emigration officers not having been yet received from the Customs. The addition, however, will probably be very smail.

B

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TITLTC.O. 885

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

1PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

2

Australia by this Board during the

years

1848 and

1849, have been, to

New (Sydney

13,478

South

Wales Port Philip..

12,343

South Australia

25,821

11,097

36,918

From each of these colonies a quarterly return

is received, which states among other things the suffi- ciency of the rate of immigration with reference to the demand for labour. In the returns from New South Wales for the last quarter of 1848, it is stated that any increase of the existing rate of immigration

to Sydney or Port Philip, which to the former some- what exceeded three ships, and to the latter some- what exceeded two ships per month, would not be advisable. And in the return for the first quarter of 1849, the latest which has been received, the demand

for immigration is again fixed for Sydney at three ships per month, and for Port Philip at two ships. In the return also from South Australia for the two first quarters of 1849, it is stated that the present rate of immigration is somewhat beyond the demand, al though a railroad which is in contemplation, and the formation of smelting establishments, will afford increased means of employment. These returns are no doubt opposed both to the popular belief in this country that the Australian colonies offer an inex. haustible field for the employment of labourers, and

to the vehemence with which in the colonies an increase of immigration has been constantly de- manded. They are, however, the returns of the local authorities, whose peculiar business it is to collect information on these points, and who if they have any bias at all must be biassed in favour rather of a large

than a small immigration. And when it is consi- dered that the population of New South Wales and South Australia on the 1st of January, 1848, was

only

New

Sydney District

169,043

South

Wales

Port Philip District

35,960

South Australia

38,666

243,675

aud that to these there has been added in two

years