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KIGRATION.

The Harvester Scheme.

(Previous

Reference: Cabinet 40 (28), Con-

clusion 1(a) and Appendix

(9).)

216

9.

This subject was placed on the Agenda Paper

in order that the Secretary of State for Dominion

Affairs might raise the following decision of

the Cabinet:-

"Acceptance of the proposal that not less than 5,000 men should be sent in August next to work as harvesters in Canada".

The Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs

gave the Cabinet details of the schemes which had

been worked out by his Department in concert with

the officials of the Ministry of Labour and the

Board of Trade for implementing the above decision.

The Canadian Government was understood to be

favourable to the scheme; the Shipping Companies

had been induced to cut down their charges to £12

per head to Winnipeg as compared with the normal

charge of £18. 15. O for crossing the Atlantic;

arrangements had been made for a flat grant of £5

per head towards passages, which might be increased

in the case of miners and others who were unable

to make any contribution themselves by the loan of

an additional £10 to cover the balance of the

passage as well as the cost of food on the land

journey to Winnipeg and to give the men a pound

or two to sustain them while seeking work;

to meet the insistance of the Canadian Government

arrangements had also been made for the repatria-

tion of such men as could not obtain permanent

work after the harvest.

The Cabinet were reminded that a few years

ago a large number of men had been taken as

harvesters to Canada at their own cost.

In the course of the discussion it

transpired that a difficulty had arisen between

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