Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-10-07 00:00:00

HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY.

eat
On Monday was issued the report of the ~,eltd
Committee of the House of' Commons, aPP°IIIO
to consider the state of the British oossesstole
f the
North America under the administration hch
Hudson's Bay Company. This document,ll4.l'
was adopted by 6 votes Lo 5, is as follows :-- •
I. The near approach of the period when the lianriod•
exclusive trade, granted ill 1838 for 21 years, to the.
Of
son's Bay Company over that north-western P"tyi°dlatt,
British Am3rica, which goes by the name of the
Territory, must expire, would alone make it necestgi
that. the condition of the whole of the vast regions ,o`„a
are under the administration of the company eh
carefully considered; but there are other circumstat;
which, in the opinion of your committee, would ha.i
rendered such a course the duty of the parlianteut"

government of
2 this country.
e
. Among these, your committee would Wel saliar
merate—the growing desire of our Canadian iLttia
subjects that the means of extension and real/107;0
ment should be afforded to them over a portion 0_ to
territory; the necessity of providing suitably fog
od
bee
administration of the affairs of Vancouver's Dian
the present condition of the settlement which has
formed on the Red Riv, r.
luable
3. Your committee have received much the
evidence on these and other subjects connected vviiser
inquiry which has been entruste4 t) them, and esP; chief
have had the advantage of hearing the statements o yew
Justice Draper, who was commissioned by the ,P4OO is
ment of Canada to watch this inquiry. In adn" toga
this, your committee have received the evidence jo
before a committee of the Legislative Assembly, aPPieuisalo
to investigate this subj act, containing much va of
information in reference to the interests and fee"Mtatt
that important colony, which are entitled to the gr'''
weight on this occasion.
4. Your committee have also had the opinion of L"-: .
aA
officers of the crown communicated to them on Itig°af
points connected with the charter of the Hudaons
Campany.
elae
5. The territory over which the company now el--
st
rights, is of three descriptions :-
Ist. The land held by charter, or Rupert's Lam' sai
2nd. The land held by license, or the Indian territs'i
3arl. Vancouver's Island. triee
6. For tha nature of the tenure by which these counttea
received,are severally connected with the company, yourenal
would refer to the evidence they have '
documents appended to their report.
0,0
7. Among the various objects of imperial policy 411
it is important to attain-' your committee consider th'' or
is essential to meet the just and reasonable' wishes
a
Canada to he enabled to annex to her territory lit
portion of the land in her neighbourhood as
available to her for the purposes of settlement, '
-her
which lands she is to open and maintain eoe; of
nications, and for which she will provide the Inea,liai
local administration. Your committee apprehend
the districts on the Red River and the Saakatchewar;
among those likely to be desired for early occupation of
is of great importance that the peace and good orderogy
those districts should be effectually secured. Your el
Company
trust that there will be no difficulty in effeol;
arrangements as between her M•ajesty's Government „",si
the Hudson's Bay Cepany by which these districtsr,o
be ceded to Canada on equitable principles, and ivrtba
the districts thus annexed to her the authority n'
Hudson's Bay Compass, would of course entirely esaeeleal
8. Your committee think it best to content theins"
with indicating the outlines of such a scheme, leallet
to her Majesty's Government to consider its details TO'
maturely before the Act of Parliament is prepared
will probably be necessary to carry it into effect. t,ll'
9. In case, however, Canada should not be willing
very early period to•undcrtake the government of the.„;6
River district, it may- be proper to consider whether so'
temporary provision, for its administration may net
advisable.
10. Your committee are of opinion that it will be pro,
to terminate the connection of the Hudson's Bay CosoP•De
with Vancouver's Island as soon as it can convenient/9 of
done, as the best means of favouring the development y.'
the great natural advantages of that important eow;00
Means should also he provided for the ultimate extens'„6
of the colony over any portion of the adjoining contiaPot
to the west of the Rocky Mountains, on which perrunne
settlethent may be found practicable.
eree
11. As to those extensive regions, whether in RuP
jt
Land or the Indian territory, in which, for the present ,
least, there can be no prospect of permanent settlenss'f
r
to any extent, by the European race fothepurposes„te
colonisation, the opinion- ,at which your committee L...gs
arrived is mainly founded on the following eonsideratiow"o
Ist. The great importance to the more peopled portioo
of British North America that law and order shonl4l4,
far as possible, be maintained in these territories
The fatal effects which they believe would'infallibli tor
suit to the Indian population from a system of open e,lOO
petition in the fur trade and the consequent in•rodun",t
of spirits in a far greater degree than is the cage to
present ; and 3rd. The probability of the indiscrirn%a
destruction of the more valuable furbearing animals in'
course of a few years.
,aion
1.8• For these reasons, your committee are of 013. e
that whatever may be the validity or otherwise °I the ,
rights claimed by toe Hudson's' Bay Company, under Jai
charter, it is desirable that they should continue to er,9
the privilege of exclusive trade, which theaanow posse:e;
except so far as those privileges are limited by the tot
going recotn nendations. "Pal 13. Your committee have now specified the print,.
objects which they think it would be desirable to attsl,7;
How far the chartered rights claimed by the Hudsel,
Bay Company may prove an obstacle to their attainelen
rhy
they are not able, with any certainty, to say. If 'I,
jj
difficulty is to be solved, by amicable adjustment, suertea
course will be best promoted by the government, a`;fl-6
communication with the company, as well as with
es'
government of Canada, rather than by detailed sagaN
lions emanating from this committee.
14. Your committee cannot doubt but that, when sate
grave interests are at stake, all the parties concerned vf.a
approach the subject in a spirit of conciliation and justirs;
and they therefore indulge a confident hope that 72,.
government will be enabled, in the next session of Parkf
ment, to present a bill which shall lay the foundation t
an equitable and satisfactory arrangem mt, in the eve°J
which we consiier probable, of legislation being 11;/-
necessary for that purpose.
July at, 1857.