The Press. FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1870.

Press, Volume XVI, Issue 2193, 29 April 1870, Page 2

The Press. FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1870.

TnE movement in England in favour of colonial emigration continues with little abatement. Since it first began the opinion seems to have gained ground extensively that the conduct of emigration ought to be taken ;n hand by the Government. That view has been pressed on Mr. Gladstone by a deputation from the emigration societies, and has been warmly supported by speakers at public meetings and writers in the press. One correspondent quotas an instance in point in 1819, when during a period of great distress among the working classes, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Vansittart, obtained a vote of £50,000 for emigration purposes, with which 4000 artisans were dispatched to the Cape Colony, and founded the now flourishing settl sment of Algoa Bay. The greater part of the leading papers however (except the Standard, which rather da mages the colonial cause than otherwi Be by using it as a ground for opposition attacks, and the Pall Mall O azette, which habitually takes a much wider view than any of its contemporaries of the functions of Government) are opposed to the principle of Stat<. aid. We learn, too, from the latest Ei lglish telegrams that a motion by Mr To: rrens, to the effect that measures shot tld be taken to facilitate emigration, w* s lost in the House of Commons by a ma jority of 153 to 48. So that for the pi -esent at least that phase of the quest ion is set at rest. Meanwhile, the general impression that the Government would e» entually come forward with an emig ration scheme is said to have had an un fortunate effect in diminishing privafc c contributions ; which perhaps has led to correspondingly increased cxc rtions on the part of the Societies. A great many meetings have been he Id in London and the large towns, witi b. good

effect. But in all these proceedings one point is very noticeable—the ex tent to which Canada wo might almost say monopolises attention as a field lor emigration. Tho Home News, speaking of several meetings of working men at Chelsea ami Woolwich, remarks that "at these meetings Canada is exhibited as tho land of promise to all those who have the wherewithal to pay their passage and land with a small stock ot money; tho Australian colonies being represented as a sort of social Cave of Adullam. or rcfugt; for the destitute and distressed who are left to help themselves." So at a meeting at Leeds, at which .Sir (>. (..rev was the chief speaker, it is mentioned as a novelty that the Australian colonies received a fair share of attention. The British ami Colonial i_mi_*ration Society — the cue to which Mr. Goaehen's tirrn subscribed so liberally, and which is supported by many of the great London merchants —appears at present to be little else than a Canadian agency. All the emigrants it sends out are dispatched to Canada. They sent several thousands last year, and aro preparing to recommence their labors with the return of spring. At the last reported weekly meeting of tho Committee tbe Secretary announced that he had made arrangements to despatch 3UO emigrants on the lGth of April, and was instructed to secure at least 250 passages for the 2Sth. So again the Emigrants' and Colonists' Aid Corporation, whose plan includes the purchase of large tracts of land on which to locate the emigrants, look to Canada as the scene of their operations. k< It is to be feared," says the Home News, " that the first acquirement of laud will be in Canada, so that the emigrants under tbe selfsupporting and profitable system will be alienated from the Australian colonies." One great reason of this is the pains taken by the Canadian Government following the wise example of the United States, to mako their country well known to the public, and especially to the classes likely to emigrate. They have an agent in England for this especial purpose, who seems to do his work with great assiduity and skill. Attractive notices of the colony are circulated, detailed information of all kinds is always accessible, instances of individual success are carefully published, no exertion in fact is spareto make Canada well known, to give it a good name, and to attract population. Another reason is the comparative cheapness of the passage. The Societies can hardly be expected to spend their funds in sending emigrants to Australia when for the same money they can send three times the number to Canada. The average cost of a passage to Australia is £15, while to Quebec it is only £7 and £8, 4 * including the outfit and money given on landing." This addition reminds ms of the caro taken by the authorities in Canada, still copying the American system, to provide accommodation for the emigrants on arrival, to see after thoir welfare, and to assist them in finding suitable employment. It is plain that so long as Canada enjoys co great a superiority in these respects, Australia and New Zealand cannot compete successfully with it. If they wish to take the advantage of the tendency to emigration so prevalent in England they must put themselves on a par with Canada—must make themselves as generally and as favourably known, and, bo far as expense is concerned, as accessible. It will not do to hide their light under a bushel. Emigration is a market in which all the colonies are rival customers, and as a matter of course those whose offers are the highest and their terms the easiest will secure the largest share of the trade.