EMIGRATION OF ORPHAN CHILDREN.
MR. W. MILES presented a petition from the board of
guardians of the union of Berwick - upon - Tweed, praying
the House to adopt some measure to promote the emigration of
young females to the colonies. He believed that the comfort,
and in some cases the subsistence, of the poorer classes
depended upon the speedy settlement of the question whether
or no emigration was to depend solely upon the fund derived
from the sale of Crown lands in Australia, or whether the
Government would come forward and support the fund by an
annual grant, and thus benefit the colony and confer a great
advantage on the mother country, where, on account of the
competition, both foreign and domestic, a large portion of
the population are sinking to a famine level. He could never
contemplate our possessions in America, Australia, and New
Zealand, so fertile a soil, and so congenial a residence of
Europeans, without feeling thankful to the Great Disposer of
events for having given those possessions to a country so
circumscribed as England. The object of colonisation ought
to be to encourage a proper class of emigrants, and to take
care to afford them a ready supply of labour. The emigrants
comprise a considerable number of small farmers and
capitalists, who with their wives have been accustomed to
have their menial occupations performed by domestic
servants, and who before leaving this country generally take
the precaution to insure proper attendance by paying for the
passage of those persons from whom they expect to derive the
benefit of servitude on their arrival in the colony; but it
frequently happened that in the course of a few months they
were deprived of the services on which they had relied. He
wished to confine his statements and arguments to the wants
and requirements of New South Wales, and, therefore, would
not travel over bygone reports, but would call the attention
of the House to official documents recently issued to show
the want of female domestics in that part of the world. In a
paper, delivered if February, entitled "Emigration to the
Australian Colonies," he found a return from the 63
magisterial divisions of Sydney, and from the six magisterial
divisions of Port Phillip, stating the want of labourers and
domestic servants. In 33 out of the 63 districts, the want of
female domestic servants was very great. He would not trouble
the House by referring to the returns at any length, but would
merely give a few extracts:-
" Carcoar. - Domestic servants, particularly female
servants, are in great request; they are not to be had at any
wages. Liverpool.- Female house-servants are in great demand;
they are not procurable in the district. Campbeltown.- Farm
and domestic servants, male and female, are in urgent demand.
Broulee.- Female servants-of-all-work are in request.
Queenbeyan.- Domestic servants of all descriptions are much
required in this district. Tumut.- The operations of the
settlers are completely paralysed for want of labour;
children from 8 years of age to 16 are engaged at wages from
12 l.- to 20 l.- per annum. Housemaids and nursemaids are much
wanted. Newcastle.- Female farm and domestic servants are in
great demand."
He thought he had said enough to show the difficulties under
which the colonists laboured in procuring female servants,
Band would now turn his attention to the question - is England
in a position to furnish those female servants under a
guarantee that the colonists shall for some time be secure of
their services? He conceived England to be in a position to
find for those colonies an abundant supply of servants of
both sexes quite sufficient for all their wants, with
afterwards an abundant yearly supply, and nothing, so far as
he knew, stood in the way of accomplishing that object,
except the advance made to New South Wales of 300,000l. [œ?]
Soon after the information of the poor-law unions his
attention was very much directed to one union, containing a
population of 56,000 persons and three workhouses, in which
were located the ablebodied, the aged, and the young; and on
examining the pauper school, he was astonished at finding
such a large number of children, many of whom were orphans
and without protectors or friends. In consequence of the
expense of maintaining three workhouses, the inmates were
transferred to one large establishment, where the children,
up to the age of 15, were kept apart from the elder paupers,
not being allowed to enter the general ward. After that time
they were occasionally employed in the women's ward: but he
was sorry to say, from the description of persons with whom
they then associated, they frequently become contaminated. At
the age of 16 they are considered ablebodied, and could leave
the house at any time, on giving 24 hour's notice; and he
could mention numerous instances of the demoralisation and
crime which resulted from these orphan girls being suddenly
cast upon the world. It had been stated that a general
disinclination existed in the colonies, particularly in
Australia, to the reception of pauper labour; and in that
respect he thought they were right, because so far as
ablebodied men and women were concerned, they were neither
efficient labourers nor servants: but with respect to
children the case was far different, and he would endeavour
to show the result of their industrial training, because on
that training depended their usefulness to the colonists. Mr.
Cooper, in a report made to the Emigration Commissioners,
said that the children brought up in properly managed
workhouses are more intelligent, and equally as able to earn
their livelihood by labour as when brought up by their
parents; and he believed that under the existing
circumstances of the colonies, they would prove more
desirable emigrants than persons of the same age who have not
had the advantages of the education given to children in the
workhouses. Since the period at which that report was
written, other evidence had been given confirmatory of what
he had stated. He referred to the evidence of those gentlemen
who had been sent out, he believed by a Committee of the
Privy Council, under the authority of the Poor Law Board, as
commissioners, to determine as to the education of the
schoolmasters, and as to the efficiency of the schools. When
he stated the name of Mr. Tufnell as one of the five
commissioners, he was sure the house would receive with
deference any opinion he might have given. Mr, Tufnell stated-
" It is a frequent remark of visitors to workhouse schools
that the girls present a very superior appearance to the
boys; while the former are healthy-looking and well grown,
the latter are comparatively stunted in growth, less healthy
in look, and altogether of an inferior physical development.
I was long puzzled to account for this difference, as the
treatment of both is very similar; but I am now persuaded
that it is owing to the want of appropriate industrial work
for the boys. In general there is no difficulty in finding
abundant suitable employment for the girls; and though a
considerable part of it, such as sewing is sedentary, the
female constitution seems to suffer far less from
confinement than the other sex, and in washing, scouring ,
bedmaking etc., there is always much of that sort of work
most conducive to health."
Mr. Brown stated-
" The girls usually sew and knit, frequently do
house-work, and more rarely bake, wash, and cut out linen.".
Mr Bowyer stated-
" The industrial training for girls is better provided
for , as the making and mending of the clothing and linen of
the house afford them a constant and appropriate occupation.
They are always employed for two hours of the afternoon in
knitting and sewing, and become in some cases accomplished
needlewomen. They always make their own beds, sweep and wash
their own floors, and generally also those of a great part of
the workhouse. They help to serve the dinner for the house,
and the elder girls assist in the kitchen and wait upon the
master and matron, preparatory to being placed in service. In
some of the larger and best-regulated workhouses they even
possess a separate laundry."
Mr. Ruddock gave similar evidence. Having shown that the
industrial and moral training of the workhouse girls was well
looked to up to a certain period of life, he should now call
the attention of the House to the return moved for in 1848 by
the late lamented President of the Poor Law Board. Though that
return was not so complete as one that has been since made,
it was sufficiently full to enable them to make a subdivision
of the workhouse girls into three classes - those under three
years of age - those between three and seven - and those
between seven and sixteen. It was impossible, however, for
the public to understand from this subdivision the number of
girls who quitted the workhouse to compete with other
children for labour. Last autumn he had issued circulars in
the county which he represented, to the different union
workhouses for information on this point, and he had ascertained
that in twelve workhouses the number of boys and girls
cabable of entering service was no less than 273. He had
likewise inquired of the different boards of guardians
whether they would contribute not only to the outfit of the
children, and to send them to the port of embarkation, but
also to the expenses of the voyage. The answers which he had
received form the twelve unions were decidedly in the
affirmative, and to the effect that the guardians would
consent to do so if the Government came forward with some
assistance. They also had assured him, from the knowledge
they possessed of the different parishes, that they would
have no difficulty in carrying on emigration on such terms.
Early in the session of 1849, he had an interview with the
Under Secretary of the Colonies and the President of the Poor
Law Board on the subject, and he believed that both of those
hon. [honourable?] Members concurred in much of what he had
stated, and objected only in the matter of expense. In that
Session the hon. Member for Dovor [sic] had moved for a
return similar to that moved for by the late President of the
Poor Law Board. He wished to direct the attention of the
House to that return, to show the number of workhouse
children capable of service. According to that return the
number of children in the workhouses each year was 56,323. Of
these the number of boys capable of entering service was
4,579; of girls, 3,694 - total, 8,273. The number of male
orphans capable of service was 1,578; female, 1,171 - total,
2,749: about one-third of the children capable of entering
service. He thought there were other classes of children who
might be benefited by emigrating, and they were the children
of widows who were not in the workhouse; children of widowers who
were not in the workhouse; children of widowers who were in
the workhouse. These, he thought, with the consent of their
parents, might emigrate with advantage. It was his intention
last Session to have called attention to this subject, but he
did not regret the delay that had occurred, as the returns
since made showed the interest taken by Earl Grey on this
subject. Indeed it was a subject which was taken up by the
Government, and was more a question of theirs than of his. In
his despatch of the 26th June, 1848, to Sir C. Fitzroy, Earl
Grey expressed his concurrence in the report of the
Commissioners, and directed him to take measures to give
effect to their recommendations with regard to workhouse
children, and for placing them in a respectable position in
the colony. In one of their letters the Commissioners of
Colonial Emigration gave it as their opinion that the
emigration of these children was for the interest of the
colony, and of the greatest benefit to the girls, but that
they were unwilling to undertake it on a large scale until
sufficient preparation was made in the colony for their
proper employment and distibution. The Emigration
Committee, having been requested to report as to the prospect
of placing these emigrants in eligible situations, stated in
answer that female emigrants from the English workhouses
would be acceptable to the colonists, and that in the Sydney
districts suitable situations might be readily obtained for
800 of them. The hon. Member for North Northhamptonshire proposed to
include Ireland in the present Motion; but he ought to
recollect that if he succeeded in extending the Motion to Irish
workhouse orphans, a contribution of 5 l. per head would have
to be made towards the expense of their passage. In answer
to the request of Earl Grey, it was stated that two districts
of the colony were willing to take 1,400 of these children as
apprentices that very year. Having the concurrence of the
legistlature of Sydney, he would like to suggest whether it
would not be better at once to commence a system, which, if
carried out, would lead to a greater demand for boys as well
as girl emigrants from the workhouses of this country. It
would be of the greatest use to the colonists of New South
Wales if they could obtain apprentices on whose services they
could rely. The convict boys who had been sent to Western
Australia, had, from their industrial training, been most
useful to the colony. Two years ago the noble Lord the Member
for Bath made a motion for sending out a certain number of ragged
schoolboys; but that emigration had not turned out so well as
that to Western Australia, for the boys released from
restraint, conducted them,selves ill in the colony. [ Lord
ASHLEY: No, no!] At all events they did not turn out so well
in the colony as had been expected, and it was to be
regretted that several of them, on their arrival there,
sustained themselves by petty pilfering. He asked the house
to go to the children of paupers, and relieve them in the
manner which he had indicated; they should go to the
children of paupers who were paupers from no inclination of
their own, but from the force of circumstances. He should
now notice the financial part of the question; and in the
first place he wished to observe that nothing could be more
evident than the economy of sending out those orphans at a
comparatively trifling cost, rather than keeping them at home
at a certain and weighty expenditure. In the early part of
his observations he had mentioned the advance of 300,000 l. to
New South Wales; but that, he thought, ought not to form any
real impediment to the plan which he proposed, for in the
years 1848 and 1849 that colony had remitted to this country
as much as 180,000 l., so that only 120,000 l. remained due,
and application for payment on account of that sum of
300,000 l. had always been met with remittances. The House
would recollect he had already stated that he proposed that
5 l. for each emigrant should be contributed by the parishes;
and, in addition to that, he proposed that such further sum as
might be required, for the expenses of the voyage, should be
defrayed out of the colonial fund - thus the parishes and
the colonies contributing jointly to that which was for
the benefit of both. The cost of the emigration of an adult
would be about 12 l. 10s., and of children about half that
price. The whole sum required from the colonies for carrying
out this proposal would not exceed 7,000 l. the generality of
parishes would eagerly except the offer if made by the
Government; and he trusted that the House would urge the
subject upon the attention of Her Majesty's Ministers. Such a
plan as he had proposed would be the prelude to further
emigration, and it would be a blessing not only to New South
Wales, but to the other colonies of this great empire.
Motion made, and Question proposed -
" That it is expedient that the Government, with the
consent and assistance of the Boards of Guardians throughout
England and Wales, should take immediate steps to forward the
emigration of orphan girls, inmates of the several
workhouses, and capable of entering service, to Australia as
apprentices."
Mr. STAFFORD rose to move his amendment - to substitute the
words " United Kingdom" for the words "England and Wales" in
the Motion. He did not propose the Amendment in any spirit of
hostility to the Motion, but he thought that any aid granted
for emigration ought to include Ireland as well as other
parts of the United Kingdom. There had never been such
efforts made by any nation for the porpose of emigration as
those which had been made of late years by the people of
Ireland. In corroboration of this statement he might refer
hon. Gentlemen to the tenth report of the Emigrtaion
Commissioners, which stated that the emigration of the last
three years gave an annual average of 268,619 persons, being
not very far short of the whole annual increase of the united
kingdom. The emigration from Ireland, for the last three
years, gave an average of 200,482 a year, which exceeded the
increase of the population by 123,844 souls per annum. At
this rate, therefore, the population of Ireland would be
decreased in about eight years by emigration alone to the
extent of 1,000,000 souls. He saw no reason why what was
asked from the Government for England, should not be saked
for Ireland also. Last Session the Poor Law Amendment Act
was passed, which contained clauses referring to emigration;
but experience had shown them to be inoperative. He had
received a communication from the clerk of the poor-law union
of Limerick, who stated that last winter the guardians had
advertised for tenders for a loan of 6,000 l., for which they
offered 6 per cent under the clauses of the Poor Law
Amendment Act; but they only received a tender for 500 l., and
with this sum they "emigrated" ninety-one persons at an
average expense of 5 l. 10s. per head, which left each person
15s. to receive upon landing. These persons had cost the
guardians 14 l. for their maintenance in the workhouse; and if
they had emigrated them at first, they would have received
the difference between that sum an 5 l.10s., the cost of their
passage. It thus appeared that the security provided for
emigration loans was not so satisfactory as to lead them to
hope that the emigration clauses of the Bill of last Session
could be carried into effect. The Irish Poor Law
Commissioners reported that there was an increased
disposition on the part of the boards of guardians to avail
themselves of the provisions of the law with regard to
emigration, and they recommended the subject to the
favourable consideration of the Lord Leiutenant. The number
of girls recommended for emigration was 2,500, of whom 2,219
had gone, and large numbers remained in the workhouses who
where ready to follow. He was sorry it had been supposed by
some that the conduct of these Irish orphan girls had not
been so satisfactory as could be wished. In the defence, for
such it was, which he was about to offer for these girls, he
believed that it would be found that they were not deserving
of the censures which had been cast upon them. It appeared
that the great majority of the female orphans from Ireland
had behaved very well on board ship, and on their landing;
that they had given entire satisfaction in every respect,
with the exception that they were uninstructed as domestic
servants. Now, he hoped it would in future be taken into
consideration the importance of improving the system of
instruction in the Irish workhouses, by teaching the female
orphans the duties of domestic servants. There were societies
in our colonies under the name of St. George, St Patrick, and
St. Andrew, for the protection of the interests of the
respective inhabitants of the three kingdoms, and they had
strongly recommended the encouragement of a sound system of
emigration, as equally for the benefit of the mother country
and the colonies themselves. He begged to refer to a case
which had recently excited much attention, namely the case of
the fifty three orphan girls from Belfast who had gone out
in the Earl Grey, and who were said to be all prostitutes.
This charge was exaggerated, and he considered it had been
shown that there had been no want of care in the selection of
these girls. All the orphan girls sent out in the Earl Grey
were not included in the condemnation. With two-thirds of the
number no dissatisfaction was felt; it was only the fifty-six
women who obtained opprobrious distinctions under the title
of "the Belfast girls." these girls obtained a good character
from the master of the workhouse and the board of guardians,
and a great deal of the irregularity of their conduct was
attributed to the ill behaviour of some of the officers of
the vessel. Now, it was obviously impossible that any
certificates of character could be depended upon, so that no
irregularities should occur upon such a voyage; and before
they condemned these Belfast girls, let them contrast their
conduct with that of girls sent out from workhouses nearer
home. The emigration authorities in New South Wales could not
find words strong enough to give an idea of the trouble
they had, and were still likely to have, with the women, or
rather fiends in human shape, who went out in one vessel from
the Marlyebone workhouse. They were described as a nuisance
to all on board, and as using the most disgraceful and
disgusting language. It was stated that they could not be
kept from the sailors, and that they almost excited the creww
to mutiny. The Belfast girls were purity itself when compared
to these Marlyebone ladies. The Irish orphan girls who went
out by the Lady Kennaway behaved well on the voyage, and had
given very general satisfaction to their employers in the
colony. The Irish orphan girls sent out by the New Liverpool
were described as uneducated and and never to have been in
any service. A few Irish orphans were sent out in the
Inconstant, with regard to whom the secretary to the Orphan
Board in South Australia said -
"They do not appear to be so suitable a selection as those
by the Roman Emperor, 150 of whom had been accustomed to farm
work, milking, and washing; whereas thirty-five only from the
Inconstant could undertake such employments, and the
remainder show no disposition to learn. Few of them know
anything of washing, and this causes the colonists to be
indifferent about hiring them, the Irish orphans being
chiefly wanted for the country settlers."
If the guardians could educate these orphan girls in domestic
duties, there would be no difficulty in finding situations and
a welcome for them in the colonies. The question ought to be
extended, so that its consideration should embrace the whole
subject of emigration from the united empire. It had been
said that the colonies were not satisfied with those who had
been sent out from the ragged schools; but that was not
sustained by the fact, and he knew his noble Friend the
Member for Bath would be able to defend those whose prospects
he had been so active in forwarding. It was also a source of
sincere congratulation to his noble Friend, and those who had
co-operated with him in assisting the operatives who had been
obliged to leave France at the time of the Revolution to
emigrate, that the conduct of those persons had been highly
satisfactory, and their presence of great value in the
colonies to which they had been sent. It was the importance
which attached to that subject which led him to wish to
extend the proposition beyond England, and to include the
workhouses of Ireland also in the operation; and that the
whole empire should be embraced in considering that great
question of emigration. He was desirous, wether or not
Government opposed or agreed either to his Amendment or the
original Motion of his hon. Friend the Member for
Somersetshire, that the House, which professed to be the
exponent of the public opinion of this country, should
express its sentiments, without reference to party
discussion, on one of the most important social questions
which occupied the public mind of this country. He deeply
regretted that the better classes did not take a greater
interest in the question of emigration than they did. It was
true they were not wanting in their contribution of funds to
encourage and promote the emigration of their poorer fellow
countrymen. But he trusted the time was coming when the
better classes would commence a system of emigration among
themselves. It did not seem to him impossible that some of
our infant princes should not go fourth to found a distinct
empire in a distant part of the world - an empire won, not by
the sword , but the higher acts of peace and civilisation,
and thus establish a more glorious dominion than ever the
House of Hanover had lost. It was highly satisfactory to him
to see that there were various societies planting the
principles of Christianity and British institutions at the
Antipodes, as he could observe by a reference to the report
of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts. [The hon. Member here referred to, and read extracts
from a correspondence which had taken place between some
clergymen sent out by the society alluded to, and Earl Grey,
relative to the want of spiritual as well as medical
assistance which prevailed in a quarantine station on the
coast of Canada, in consequence of the number of Irish
emigrants arriving, and the prevalence of a severe epidemic.]
He did not think the answer that the noble Earl at the head
of the Colonial Office had given to the application made to
him in consequence of the mortality caused by the epidemic
amongst the missionaries, was such as became his position.
All the ports of America had expressed their conviction that
the Government should exercise some superintendence over the
system of emigration. The Right hon. Gentleman at the head of
the Poor Law Department had acknowledged the difficulty of an
amendment of the law of settlement - difficulties which were
so great that he could not promise any proposition for
regulating that law during the present Session: now, that
being the case, was it not an additional inducement to that
hon. and learned Gentleman to give the question of emigration
fuller consideration? He was glad that the important question
was now attracting the attention which it deserved. There was
hardly a paper which one could take up, that did not contain
some proceedings of societies established for the protection
and encouragement of emigrants. The hon. Member for South
Wiltshire had met with deserved success in his emigration of
the distressed neeedlewomen. The proposition for the
Canterbury had been very successful, and was deserving of
every encouragement. In fact, it was attracting the attention
of the better classes to a considerable extent. A meeting had
been called at a few hours notice, at Cambridge, a short time
since, to explain the objects of that settlement, and the
views of the society promoting it, which had been most
numerously attended by a large body not only of the
undergraduates of that university, but by its professors, and
others, who were anxious to learn intelligence of an
interesting colony, and what were the prospects which might
await emigrants of a better order. He thought there was a
tendency throughout the country amongst the better classes
to emigrate, and if were carried into effect , no doubt it
would be a great blessing to their humbler fellow-countrymen
who went out to the colonies. The old system in the
management of our colonies had been that in developing their
resources we should render them independent of the rest of
the world; and it was wonderful how nearly this little island
had succeeded in realising that idea. But in the year 1846
that idea had been abandoned, and we had adopted the
principle of having recourse to the cheapest markets. He
should not then discuss the merits of that principle; but he
would remind those hon. Members who maintained it, that this
country was not less bound at present than she had formerly
been to promote to the utmost possible extent the interest of
both the colonists and the and of the people of the mother
country by a wise and enlarged system of emigration. Let
those who advocated the new idea not shrink from dealing with
the subject of emigration in connection with the great change
which they had been so anxious to introduce. Let not the
hon. Baronet the Member for Southwark - he was sorry not to
see him in his place - be silent now, or shrink from the
discussion of this question in its bearings on the present
state of the transition to which their colonial empire was
subject. In his opinion, emigration ought to be treated
altogether apart from the colonial question, because whatever
system of colonial government might be adopted, it was
manifestly for the advantage of the inhabitants of every
portion of this greaty empire that its productive powers
should be spread over the most profitable fields for their
employment. He hoped Her Majesty's Government would show that
they were not indifferent to the great, the paramount, and
the pressing importance of that question. He believed that
emigration was at present a fireside, a household, question
in the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and he
trusted her Majesty's Government would treat it in a manner
befitting the rulers of a great and noble empire.
Amendment proposed, "To leave out the words 'England and
Wales,' in order to insert the words 'the United Kingdom,'"
instaed thereof.
Mr Hawes regarded the question which had been brought
under their notice by the hon. Member for East Somersetshire
as one of very great interest, and he would be sorry to say
one word that might detract from its importance. Nothing
could be of greater importance to the Australian colonies
especially, than maintaining towards them a careful regard
for the proper distribution of the sexes; and he believed
many social evils would have been avoided if years ago more
attention had been paid to this subject. But he was bound to
say, that in all these general views of benevolence there
were some limits that could never be passed - limits that
must especially be considered by the House of Commons, and
which it would be his duty now to point out. He understood
that the hon. Gentleman sought for no grant of public money,
and he also understood him to say that the subject had
attracted the attention of his noble Friend at the head of
the Colonial Department. There was therefore, very little
difference between them; for the hon. Gentleman could not
attach more importance than Her Majesty's Government did, and
there was no indisposition on their part to give all the
stimulus in their power to a wholesome system of emigration.
But they must consider, first of all, the capability of a
colony to receive any particular class of emigrants; they
must also consider the interests and welfare of the
colonists; and then there was the larger question affecting
the interests of the country at large. Some years ago it was
a crying evil in New South Wales that the proportion which
the one sex bore to the other led to dreadful social
disorders. Of late years that subject had attracted much
attention, and, at last, the restoration of the equality of
the sexes had almost been completely affected. Since the
beginning of 1847, 8740 females had gone to Sydney, 7,000 to
Port Phillip, and 7,700 to South Australia - making in all
23,440. The number of males sent was 20,550 - thus showing
there was rather an excess of female over male emigration;
and of the females he might state that 4,128 were Irish
orphans. The hon. Gentleman opposite, the Member for North
Northamptonshire, alluded to the emigration of Irish orphans
under the management of the Land Emigration Commissioners,
and he was happy to say that it had been, on the whole, a
successful emigration; but at the same time he must call the
attention of the House to the several colonies to which these
females had been called, and he was afraid that in doing so
he would have to ask the hon. Gentleman not to urge this
emigration too rapidly, lest he should actually defeat the
object he had in view. The hon. Member for East Somersetshire
had alluded to a despatch of Earl Grey addressed to the
Governor of New South Wales, which had led to a large
emigration of females, who were sent over with a special view
to improve the social and domestic condition of the
colonists; and he was ready to admit that great social good
had been accomplished by sending that large number of
females. He could assure his hon. Friend that there was but
one wish and feeling pervading alike the Colonial Office and
the Land Emigration Commissioners. Their only desire was, to
supply the colonists with that type of emigration which was
most likely to be beneficial to them, and at the same time,
most advantageous to the emigrants themselves. The
Cpmmissioners had had their attention called to the large
number of Irish orphans that were crowding the workhouses in
Ireland, and the House, he doubted not, would agree with him
that the Commissioners were right in devoting their funds to
relieve that pressing necessity. Well, the large number of
4,128 orphans had already been sent to the colonies; and from
the accounts received, it was quite clear that the supply of
that species of female emigrants, whether to Sydney, to
Adelaide, or to Melbourne, had been equal to the requirement
of those colonies. The hon. Member for North
Northamptonshire had alluded to the 219 female emigrants sent
out in the ship Roman Emperor. The Committee appointed to
watch over their interests was constituted an official board.
That board received them on their arrival in the colony, and
procured situations for nearly all of them. The second ship
was the Inconstant, by which 195 female emigrants were sent
out, 150 only of whom were hired while on board. On the 21st
of October, 26 of those orphan girls were unengaged, the
reason probably being that the number that had arrived
in the colony had already exceeded the demand. In a letter
addressed by the Chairman of the Orphan Imigration Committee
to the Colonial Secretary at Sydney, dated Melbourne, October
26, 1849, and which was signed by the Bishop of Melbourne, as
President, the following passage occurred:-
"The Board beg now to state to your Honour the following
facts, as bearing upon the subject of orphan immigration,
both from England and Ireland - 1. That the demand for the
orphans has sensibly diminished. 2. That the orphans by each
succeeding ship have been disposed of to parties of a lower
rank, and less desirable class than those preceeding. 3. That
there is shown by the public a decided preference for other
bounty immigrants, on acount of the inexperience and
incapacity for household work of the orphan girls. 4. That
the cost of these latter to the colony is even greater, by
the recent regulations of the Commissioners, than that of the
former. Under these circumstances, the board cannot but look
forward with some degree of anxiety to the responsibility of
disposing of those orphan girls who may at present be on
their passage, and of those who will have been embarked
before any communication can be made to the Government at
home, and they venture to suggest that it would be expedient
to suspend this branch of emigration to the Port Phillip
district until the board may feel themselves justified by
further experience in recommending its removal."
That was from Port Phillip. Similiar recommendations
had been given by the orphan boards in South Australia and
Sydney. The whole number of orphan emigrants sent out in the
course of the year was 1,600, and the authorities had urged
the Emigration Commissioners to reduce the number to one
half. He did not mention this for the purpose of
discouraging female emigration, but he did wish to impress
upon the House that they were dealing with a species of
emigration that required great care and consideration. If
they were to bring a large number of decent and respectable
persons upon the shores of the colonies without being able to
procure them situations or give them employment, the
probability would be that they would add to, rather than
diminish, that social evil which it was their object to
remove. He would call the attention of the House to the
amount of the funds in the hands of the Emigration
Commissioners. He could assure his hon. Friend that on the
part of the Colonial Office there was every desire to promote
the object in which his hon. Friend took so deep an interest.
Indeed, he was happy to say, in regard to the object, if it
were practicable to attain it, there was no difference of
opinion; but it must be remembered that the funds which were
placed in the hands of the Secretary of State were held by
him only as a trustee. It was his duty to administer them
first under the provisions of an Act of Parliament, and next
under the general regulations laid down by the colonial
authorities, who could best judge the means of employment,
and the number of emigrants they could profitably receive.
There were limitations upon the power of the Colonial
Secretary as to the persons to be selected for emigration. He
could not take persons from any particular part of the
country, or from any particular class. In his desire to
relieve Ireland, he had departed from the general rule, which
was, that the funds placed in his hands, derived from
colonial sources, should be applied in a manner that should
be beneficial to the whole community and to all classes. If,
indeed, the funds were unlimited, probably the noble Lord at
the head of the Colonial Department might do well, in further
promoting female emigration,always to keep one consideration
in mind, namely, the power of the colonists themselves to
absrb that particular class of emigrants; for nothing could
be more prejudicial to the general cause of emigration, and
nothing more injurious to the colonies, than the sending out
of a larger number of female emigrants than can be absorbed
by the colonies. He could not hold out so promising a
prospect of the funds for promoting emigration generally, as
might be inferred from the statement of the hon. Gentleman
the member for West Somersetshire. At this moment there was a
very trifling available balance in the hands of the
commissioners for the ensuing year. Whatever funds were to be
received on account of emigration were to be derived from the
colonies, to which, of course, would be added any vote that
the House of Commons might determine to grant. For emigration
to New South Wales, the Commissioners after the resumption of
emigration in the end of 1847, expended, up to the latter
part of 1848, one sum of 100,000 l. which had long since been
paid by the colony. By the middle of 1849 they expended a
second sum of 100,000 l. provided for by advances from the
Treasury; and they had since expended a third amount of
100,000 l. for which the claims only fell due as news was
received of the ships arrivals. This made 300,000 l. in all,
either paid or to be paid by the colony. The Commissioners
had also expended for New South Wales about 43,700 l.,
received from private contributions, and also the colonies
share of the convict emigration grant, which amounted to
upwards of 23,000 l. Thus, in two years and a half, the
commissoners had expended about 370,000 l., or at the rate of
147,000, per annum. The available funds up to the present
date had all been employed. There would be the means, however
at continuing the emigration at a moderate rate. With regard
to South Australia, the emigration to that colony in 1849
consisted of 5,175 persons. The amount of funds available for
1850, when last estimated, would scarcely admit of sending
one ship in a month. Under these circumstances it would at
this moment be undesirable to give any stimulus to further
emigration. The government could only act upon the best
information they could obtain from the colonies. He had no
wish to oppose the general object of the hon. Gentleman; he
was desirous only of making a plain statement to guard the
House against supposing that the Government could do more
than they were really able to do. He could not avoid calling
the attention of the House to the fact that the boards of
guardians hitherto had not manifested any strong desire to
contribute that 5 l. per head which the hon. Gentleman
proposed should be part of the arrangement. Speaking as far
as regarded Sydney, and he believed he might extend the
remark to New South Wales, he could say that unless the
contribution were made, the proposition of the hon. Gentleman
would not be considered either advantageous or acceptable. As
to the assistance which might be afforded by the Treasury
infurtherance of this emigration plan, the House should bear
in mind how prejudicial such advances were calculated to be,
by drying up the sources of private contributions. The number
of emigrants from Ireland to the United States and Canada in
the ten years prior to 1847, was 740,000, and from 1847 to
1850, 730,000, making a total in thirteen years, of
1,470,000. The number of emigrants from the united kingdom
during the years 1847 to 1850, was 805,837, being an annual
average of 268,619, approximating to the average annual
increment of population. The funds expended to promote this
emigration amounted in the whole to 1,743,500 l., of which sum
228,300 l. were contributed by the colonies and the
Government; and no less than 1,515,200 l. were by private
contributions. Taking the whole population of Australia and
New Zealand from January 1, 1848, to be about 326,000, he
found that the number of emigrants sent to those colonies
from that period was 56,000, or 16% upon the gross
population. He did not, therefore, think it could be
said that emigration had not been adequately promoted.
His hon. Friend the Member for North Northamptonshire
had asked what proportion Irish emigration bore to the
population of Ireland, and what was the proportion of
English emigration to the population of England - it
being supposed that a larger proportionate number of
English emigrants were sent out than Irish. He (Mr.
Hawes) could satisfy the House that there had been no
partiality shown in that respect. Taking the decimal
proportions of the population of the three countries to
be England, 59.6; Scotland, 9.8; and Ireland 31.86, the
actual number of emigrants sent out since the
recommencement of emigration in October 1847, was
English, 25,392; Scotch, 4,343; Irish, 12,486. The
decimal proportion of that emigration would be, as
compared with the population, English, 60,14; Scotch,
4343; Irish, 12,486. The decimal proportion of that
emigration would be, as compared with the population,
English, 60.14; Scotch, 10.28; and Irish, 29.53; showing
a difference of only 400 as against the proper number
that ought to have been sent out from Ireland. He hoped
the hon. Gentleman the Member for East Somersetshire
would believe that the Emigration Commissioners were
acting in concurrence with the views laid down by Earl
Grey on this subject, and of which the hon. Gentleman
had expressed his approbation. On the whole he (Mr.
Hawes) considered the Motion of the hon. Gentleman as a
friendly admonition to the Government; as an intimation
that his eyes were upon them, and that the attention of
the House would be kept alive with a view to stir up the
Colonial Office to a right discharge of its duty. It
would be with reluctance that he should move the
previous question, and he hoped, after the statement he
had made, the hon. Gentleman would withdraw his Motion.
After the number of emigrants already sent out, and
after the colonial statement of the difficulty of
finding employment, he thought that if the Motion were to
pass, it would excite expectations which could not be
gratified; he should therefore move the previous
question.
Mr. SPEAKER intimated to the hon. Gentleman that
the previous question could not then be moved, as there
was already before the House an Amendment to the
original question.
Question, "that the words 'England and Wales'
stand part of the Question," put, and negatived:-
Words, "the United Kingdom," inserted.
Main quetion, as amended proposed.
Whereupon, Previous Question proposed,
"That that question be now put."
Mr. MONSELL said, he was happy to hear that the
grievance of which he had had reason to complain two
or three times during the last Session, had been
redressed. It would, however, be a great advantage if
Irish emigrants were allowed to start from the ports of
their own country instead of being obliged to come to
some English port. One of the difficulties would be got
rid of if the hon. Member for East Somersetshire would
amend his Motion by leaving out altogether the words
"to Australia." He could not understand upon what
principle the hon. Gentleman should wish to send the
emigrants to whom his Motion referred to Australia. He
thought there was a colony that must occupy a
considerable portion of publc attention, the colony of
Natal, on account of the events that were taking place
there, and the necessity there would be, in consequence
of the short cotton crop in America this year, of
encouraging emigration to a colony which produced
cotton; but his principle reason for rising was to call
attention to the necessity of promoting the emigration
of females from the Irish workhouses. In Cork union
there were 563 males and 954 females between the ages
of 15 and 40 who had been there for more than one year;
and everyone who knew anything of Ireland knew that a
person who was domiciled in a workhouse for one year
was very likely to spend the rest of his days there. In
Thurles Union there were 247 males and 648 females
between the age of 15 and 40 who had been there more
than one year. In Galway there were 530 males and 740
females between the same ages; and in the whole of
Ireland, there were 10,118 males and 18,429 females,
between those ages, who had been in the workhouse more
than one year.
Notice taken, that 40 Members were not present;
House counted; and 40 Members not being present,
The House was adjourned at a quarter afer Eight
o'clock till Thursday.
