PAPERS^RELATIVE TO EMIGRATION.
89 population of these countries, we should hope to send to the colonies about 10,000 British and NB^' ?°ESTH
upwards of 4000 Irish emigrants.
wales.
In order, however, to succeed in obtaining so large a number of emigrants, it will be neces¬ sary to have recourse to some additional measures beyond those which we have hitherto employed; and we have, in accordance with Lord Grey's directions, inquired whether an eligible class of Irish emigrants might not be obtained from among the orphans now main¬ tained in the Irish workhouses, of whom many are approaching the age of adolescence.
We have the honour to report that the result of our inquiries leads us to hope that this will turn out to be the case.
We are inclined to think that males of this class, approaching the age of 18, who, from no fault of their own, have been bred in a workhouse, receiving such education as is there given, and submitting to the restrictions imposed in it, might prove by no means inferior to the ordinary Irish labourer.
But we should anticipate a more decided benefit from the adoption of this plan in respect of female orphans.
Lord Grey is well aware of the necessity which exists for preserving the proportion of the sexes in any large emigration to a new country.
Single men willing to emigrate are to be found in abundance.
But we learn from the reiterate4 complaints of our selecting agents that the difficulty of procuring single females of an eligible character is one of the greatest embarrassments against which they have to struggle.
It is said, however, that a large number of well conducted young women are to be found among these orphans.
The emigration of these persons will be of material service, by placing us at liberty to accept from other sources a corresponding number of single men whom we might otherwise have been compelled to reject.
We have, therefore, drawn up a paper which, with such modifications as Lord Grey may deem fit, might, we think, be transmitted to the Irish Government,j<with a request that they would take the proper means for communicating it to the Guardians of the different parishes from which emigrants may be expected.
It is, we think, obvious that the character of this emigration, consisting entirely of young persons, will necessitate a closer moral and religious superintendence than has hitherto been thought expedient or even practicable in emigrant ships.
And it has been suggested to us, with this view, that a teacher should be attached to each ship.
It will be observed that in the enclosed memorandum we have adopted this suggestion, but we would submit that consi¬ dering the peculiar character of the emigration which renders this expense necessary, it could not with propriety be charged against the colony, and should therefore be defrayed from British funds.
Nor (we may here add) do we think it unfair that the parishes which will be relieved from the necessity of supporting these emigrants should have the expense of forwarding them to the port of embarkation.
This suggestion likewise we have, therefore, embodied in the paper which we submit for Lord "Grey's approval.
'
We apprehend that under the Local Act, 5 Will.
IV.
No, 3, the Governor would have the power of apprenticing these young persons as proposed in the 7th clause of the accompanying paper.
We have, &c, Herman Merivale, Esq.,
(Signed) T.
W.
C.
Murdoch.
&c.
&c.
Frederic Rogers.
1.
Her Majesty's Land and Emigration Commissioners having been instructed by the Secretary of State to make arrangements for a considerable emigration from Great Britain and Ireland to New South Wales and South Australia during the present year, and having been informed that an eligible class of Irish emigrants may be found among the orphan children, now supported at the public expense in Ireland, will be prepared to offer to such of these persons as may, on inquiry, be approved, and as may be willing to emigrate, free passages to the above colonies.
None will be accepted who are less than 14 or more than 18 years of age, and the nearest to 18 will be taken in preference.
2.
In order that the persons in question may understand the nature of the advantages thus offered to them, it is necessary to state that the colony of New South Wales is divided into the Northern, Middle or Sydney, and Southern or Port Phillip districts.
It is to the two latter districts that emigrants are in the first instance conveyed.
The climate both of New South Wales and of South Australia is remarkably healthy and suited to European constitutions.
The soil is good, and produces in abundance wheat, maize, barley, oats, and potatoes.
Provisions are much cheaper than in this country.
Clothing may be purchased at a cost but little in advance of the retail prices here, and the rates of wages, at the date of the last advices, were in all cases much above those gpven for the same description -of labour in this country.
Besides the money wages labourers in the country are generally provided with a dwelling, and the following allowance of provisions by their employers; 10 lbs.
of meat, 10 lbs.
of flour, l|lbs.
of sugar, and 3 oz.
of tea per week.
3.
The voyage to these colonies generally occupies about 100 days, and during that time the emigrants will be fed according to the annexed scale at the public expense, subject^ of course to future modifications if experience should show them to be for the benefit of the emigrant.
The males and females are intended to be conveyed in separate ships; teachers will be ap¬ pointed to them, and means will be taken to provide for the instruction ofthe emigrants in con¬ formity with their respective creeds.
The books furnished to the vessels will ©onsist exclusively
