THE COLONIAL EMIGRATION MOVEMENT.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1739, 5 November 1862, Page 5

THE COLONIAL EMIGRATION MOVEMENT.

[From the "Home News," August 2'i.]

A meeting for the formation ol'a Colonial Emigration Society was held in the threatre of the Midland Institute, at Birmingham, on August 20. The Mayor presided. In addition to a number of the principal merchants and manufacturers of the- town, and Lord Lyttelton, Esq. (New°South Wales), Brown Chamberlin, Esq. (Canada), P. G. Knight, Esq. (Victoria), Dr. Milligan (Tasmania), and the Hon. B. Wire (Nova Scoria), commissioners from the colonies at the International Exhibition, and Miss Rye, of the London Female Emigration Society. Letters from Lord Leigh, Sir J. Pakington, Mr. Scholefield, M.P., Mr. Harper Twelvetrees, and other gentlemen, approving of the object of the meeting, were read. Lord Lyttelton, in moving the first resolution, " That a societv, to he called the Birmingham Colonial Emigration Society, be now formed," said he had been reminded by one of the letters just read that he had presided at a public meeting held in Birmingham, about the year 1849, in futherance of the promotion of emigration to the colony of Canterbury, in New Zealand. At that time the Canterbury settlement wis in its infancy, hut at the present time it was one of the most successful of the British colonies. Very little, however, was done in the way of emigration from Birmingham at that time, and he believed very little emigration had taken place since. That, however, was not difficult to account for. Though he did not wish to speak discouragingly of a place like Birmingham, still it was not the place from whence the largest amount of emigration would take place ; and there never would be, probably, any emigration on a large scale produced unless by a cause which he should very much regret to see—general, acute, and wide-spread distress. Birmingham had never suffered the distress which had visited other parts of the country, which might be

ascribed to the fact that it had no dominant or staple . trade. The object of the society would be to impart information as to the state of the labour market in our various colonies, and the best modes of going and the best seasons for arriving for intending emigrants, and he had no doubt that the dissemination of accurate information on these heads would result in a desire on a part of the active, energetic, and sanguine portion of the working classes of this country to fix their future home in our colonies. The society would also do something in the way of raising funds to enable persons to emigrate; and bo wished it to be understood that tliw nJeooiarv aid would not be a free gilt, but a loan,

tills ptl'MMliU V (UU ~ •* . which the recipient would be expected to repay within a CC rtain period after his or her arrival in the colony. By adoptin'* this course the society would he enabled to accomplish a great work at little cost, as the money advanced to emigrants would be constantly returned from the colonics. As to the class of persons who should emigrate, he said the capitalist and the labourer could not fail to improve their position. The artisan who had passed a certain age and had always been accustomed to one employment was not a proper person to undergo the necessary hardships incidental to a settler’s life, and could not fail to be disappointed. Mr J. O. Mason (a merchant) seconded the motion. He argued that the bene firs of emigration were not confined to the individual. The man who emigrated became a consumer of the manufactures of the mother country to a greater extent than he would have done had he remained in Great Britain, and so conferred a commercial benefit on the mother country. Mr. J.S. Wright (a manufacturer) thought great ■ % i I • . ,v(' /I'inii ■l l <I too

care should be made in the selection ol candidates, lie had known instances in which brass-founders and jewellers had emigrated had tailed to improve their position. Lord Lyttelton said the citizens of the class referred to hy the" last speaker were those who should not emigrate. Mr. 13. Smith (a merchant and manufacturer) suggested that some plan should be adopted similar to the freehold land societies to encourage persons to subscribe to pay their own expenses. Mr. Bate read a paper illustrative ol' the plan adopted by the London Female Emigration Society under the auspices of Miss Rye, who it was stated intended to visit the Australian colonies in October, with the view of organising local committees for the reception of female emigrants. The motion was then carried. Mr. (j. Dixon moved that the object of the society should he the dissemination of information on the subject of emigration, by means of meetings, lectures, and the distribution of pamphlets. He stated that the constant changes in the condition of the colonies rendered accurate information of the highest importance. Mr. E. Gem (merchant) seconded the resolution, which was carried. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. C. 11. Kennedy (barrisler-at-law), that a subscription list should be opened for raising necessary funds; and a committee of

management was appointed, with Lord Lyttelton as president and Mr. Scholefield, M.P., as vice-president. Mr. Follett Osier (glass manufacturer) said he had lately returned from the colonies, and (though a Liberal) he attributed much of the colonial evils to the prevalance of universal suffrage. A person had only to go to the Australian colonies for a few months, and the effect of universal suffrage which he would there witness would cause him to return home a thorough Conservative.

The meeting was afterwards addressed by the colonial commissioners.

Mr. Chamberlin (Canada) censured the tone which had been adopted by the English press in regard to that colony. He said there was as loyal as any inhabitant of England; and with regard to the new tariff, abont which so much had been said, he stated that the colonies had not the power of making differential duties, and they were therefore compelled to tax the emigrants from JGreat Britain with the same duties as those of any other country. Mr. S. S. Cowper, Mr. Knight, Dr. Milligan, and the Hon. B. Wire also gave interesting details as to the price of land, the arrangements by which deferred payments are received, the price of food, clothing, and other necessaries, the rate of wages, and the staple productions of the several colonies. They all stated that the colonies would gladly welcome any number of emigrants. Votes of thanks to the commissioners for attending, and to the mayor tor presiding, terminated the proceedings.