THE OVERSEA COLONY

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 955, 24 October 1891, Page 3

THE OVERSEA COLONY

An Auckland telegram says tbat on ihursday General Booth held n con ersational meeting with a large repre-

fcntativc gathering of business men ami was int rroyated closely regarding his oversea schema, especially a9 app'icable to New Zealand. He stated that l<e had received offers of land here, but hid not > et seen it. He thought land should be given free of cost for such n scheme as (hat proposed. His idea was to sm I out fifty men experienced m Colonial farming to prepare the land cutting the I'ush aud planting seed, and ('raft others m batches of about a hundred, ns circumstances warranted, making tin Colony reproductive, m both agriculture and manufactures at a very early date. He recognised that it would cost a good deal for the pas sages and for the maintenance of the first immigrants, but he reckoned that nnder >>is syst-m oF management it couM tie made comparatively small. Replying to a question, General Booth said the Army fum's were held under trust by hi* Seore'a-y and succeso", but he hed not tlie power m sp. m a shilling withuut, i he authority of tha accountant and officers of the Army. In the course of the procee lings Mr Willian AitUen offered General Booth 2500 acres at Northern Wairoa, to make a start, At a subsequent n.estiner, Pastor Birch gava £25 to.vnrds General Booth's colonisation schem-. Two otlier dona~ tions of a like amount were acknowledged. A Committee of three members was appointed to supply General Booth with information as to ihe land avail able here, and as to other particulars.