CO885-(23-24) — Page 112

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O. 885

23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO

Confidential.

REPORT ON A VISIT TO CANADA.

Route.

I left England on the 30th of May, 1913, and returned on the 31st of July. I was instructed to get information on emigration matters and on some special points.

I landed at Quebec, and reached Vancouver at the end of June, travelling by Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Brandon, Medicine Hat, Crow's Nest Pass, Nelson, Ross- land, the Kootenay Lakes, and the Okanagan Valley. From Vancouver I went over to Victoria, and through Vancouver Island to Nanaimo, and back to Vancouver.

Ou my return journey to Quebec I stayed at Banff, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Belleville, Montreal and Quebec. I regret that I had not time to visit the Maritime Provinces-distances in Canada are very great, and, to cover the ground I did, I had to travel at an average rate of 1,000 miles a week.

The Commissioner of Immigration at Winnipeg kindly instructed the Western Immigration Agents to drive me round the farms at the expense of the Department, and the Canadian Pacific and Grand Trunk Railways gave me free passes over their lines. My out-of-pocket expenses, exclusive of extras, were £121, of which the Committee paid £100.

It was 33 years since my first visit, and 27 years since my last visit, to Canada, and I had not been there since the establishment of the Office in 1886. I could not help being struck with the great development that had taken place. Towns like Edmonton and Saskatoon were practically non-existent at the time of my former visits ;

and Winnipeg had grown from a large village of a few thousand people, where the streets were mostly muddy prairie trails, and the side walks were scarce, to a city of 180,000 inhabitants.

Railways had multiplied enormously. At my first visit in 1880 there was no Canadian railway to Winnipeg I had to go by steamer over the Great Lakes, and through the States vid Duluth. At Winnipeg there were no railway or other bridges across the river, and only a ferry connected the two banks. Beyond Winnipeg no railways existed, and it took some three months to reach places which are now within a day's journey. Now thousands of miles of railway intersect the country in all directions, and are still being rapidly extended.

A similar development has taken place outside the towns, and millions of empty acres have become cultivated farms. The population of Canada has proportionately increased from 4,324,810 in 1881 to 7,204,838 in 1911, and that of the West from about 166,000 to 1,715,000.

The making of a new country is wonderful and inspiring to watch. Wherever I went I was struck with evidence of work and progress. Gangs were constructing railways and roads, miners were busy in drilling, or blasting, or hewing the rocks for gold and coal and hundreds of lumbermen were issuing from their shacks to cut down the forests, and float the logs to the lumber mills. Sturdy farmers were turning the wilderness into cultivated farms; settlers were dotting the prairies with their little wooden houses one seemed to be wrestling with Nature as Hiawatha wrestled with Mondamin, and to be doing something for Canada.

; every-

But with this development many of the evils and problems of older countries had sprung up. At Winnipeg the newspapers were complaining of local slums; at Toronto the morals of the city were the subject of conferences and newspaper articles; at Montreal infant mortality was great, owing to bad milk and insanitary houses, and one could see for oneself the dirty state of the side streets. At Regina I heard the same denunciations of social inequalities that are heard at the Marble Arch.

The population, moreover, has a tendency to become congested into large cities, as in older countries and in Australia. Montreal now contains nearly a quarter of the total population of the Province of Quebec, Toronto contains a sixth part of the population of Ontario, and even the young town of Winnipeg contains a third of the whole population of Manitoba.

Oficials.

I called upon a large number of officials, including the Premier, Minister of Labour, and others at Ottawa, Ministers of Agriculture in the various Provinces, Immigration") and Land Agents everywhere, secretaries of professional boards, and many others, All readily gave me the information I asked for, or promised to send publications when issued.

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The Minister of Labour told me that an elaborate return of wages in all trades for the last twelve years was being prepared, and would be sent to the Emigrants' Information Office when completed; and in future a yearly return would be published. He told me that he was arranging more guidance for immigrants when travelling up country: and that employment agencies-many of which had been charging exorbitant fees-had now to obtain a Government licence, and to keep a record of work found and fees charged. The Deputy Minister of the Interior informed me that he would look out for better Provincial maps for the Canada Handbook, would submit specimens, and then send as many copies as were asked for.

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Though I gave much time and trouble to interviews with officials, and derived much kindness and information from them, I obtained still more benefit from hunting up things for myself, and from the numberless conversations I had with the man in the street.' In the following remarks, therefore as I understand that they are not to be officially published-I have laid more stress upon the experience of settlers themselves than upon the views of officials. I found everyone ready to give me such information as I asked for, but it was seldom volunteered, and the strong Western accent often made it difficult to be understood. The accent of the boys and girls is especially pronounced and unpleasant, and is deplored by many Canadians themselves.

Ships.

I went through the steerage quarters several times. The accommodation is much better than it used to be, open berths are practically extinct, and closed cabins containing from four to ten berths have taken their place. The women and children are separated from the men's quarters, the dining saloon was spacious, and there was a sand floor railed off for the children to play on. One or two cabins were bad, both as regards ventilation and light foreigners were put into these. There was the usual absence of seats on deck, and I cannot help thinking that something might be done to remedy this. A Altogether there is a great improvement, but not more than one might reasonably expect considering the increases in the fare, in the number of emigrants, and in the comfort of the first class passengers.

Immigration Halls.

visited the Immigration Halls at Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Brandon, Victoria, &c. They showed a vast improvement. In old days they generally consisted of large sheds with a slightly raised dais round the walls, on which the emigrants slept. Now there were excellent dormitories and beds, some for the women and children and some for the men, washing and bath rooms, reading and dining rooms, &c. At Quebec they were about to erect a large permanent building instead of the one now in use.

I stayed some time in the Immigration Sheds at Quebec to watch the manner in which the emigrants are received on landing. They are all examined by the doctor, doubtful cases being reserved for further consideration, and cases of real illness being sent to the Immigration Hospital three miles off. Their papers of identity, destination, &c., are examined also.

A part of the premises is used as a dining room, where good meals can be obtained for 25 cents, and there are several stalls where food can be bought for consumption on the train. Clergymen of different denominations are on the spot, and give cards of introduction to emigrants.

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Altogether the arrangements seemed to be carried out in a business-like with consideration for the emigrants. The emigrant trains are much better than they used to be, and separate cars can be engaged for parties.

At Victoria, B.C., there is no depot for any immigrants except Orientals, but one is about to be built. There were many Chinamen in the depot when I was there: some were being measured and weighed, any scars or peculiarities being carefully recorded; others were being photographed for purposes of identification; and others who had passed the tests were paying their $500 entrance fees.

I visited also a number of private Homes where male or female emigrants can sleep and board till they find work, such as the British Welcome League, and St. George's Home in Toronto, numerous branches of the Y.W.C.A. and the Y.M.C.A., and many others; the accommodation seemed to be quite good.

Englishmen and Canadians.

There is no doubt that there is some want of harmony between the English immigrant and the man born in Canada. The Canadian has a short, sharp way of speaking which the Englishman resents; each thinks that he knows everything, and that his own methods are the best ; each in his own way looks upon the other as inferior, and

(91456-2) Wt. 19818-G 309, 100, 10/18, D & 8.

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