The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-22 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1870.

The meeting of the British and Colonial Emigra-
tion Fund, which was held at the Mansion House on
Wednesday, contains interesting subjects for the
notice of those who turn their attention to such ques-
tions. At this time of the year the work of emi-
gration proceeds with great rapidity, and the subject
is deserving of regard, on more accounts than one.
According to the statements which were made, the
emigrants of the present day possess many advan-
tages over those of an earlier period, and various
arrangements are made for their comfort which at
one time would never have been dreamed of. Mr.
HALEY, the honorary secretary to the society, stated
that the arrangements on board the ship Medway,
which sailed for Canada a few days ago, were good
upon the whole, but that be bad communicated with
the Government agent of the port of London with a
view to insuring greater comfort to future emigrants.
A deputation from the Colonization Assurance Cor-
pora-ion waited upon the Committee in order to
ascertain their views with respect to the conveyance
of emigrants to 'Western Australia, to which a satis-
factory answer was returned, Mr. BARCLAY, M.P.,
declaring, on behalf of the Committee, that although
the Society was sending most of its emigrants to Cana-
da, it was desirable to assist those who wished
to settle in other Colonies. The deputation
sail that there need be no anxiety as to the
reception of the emigrants on the other side, as there
was a general desire to encourage emigration to a
considerable extent. The secretary stated that as a
rule the intending emigrants paid up their contribu-
tion of three pounds towards the passage. The
remainder of the sum is furnished by the Society, or
from other sources of assistance. The town of Tor-
quay eVill contribute five pounds towards the pasfage
of the eighty-five emigrants who start for Canada
by the Aven, on the 12th of May. Upon a member
of the Committee observing that as a rule paupers
would not emigrate, the Lo: d Mayor said, ironically,
that they were tight, for there were no men or wo-
men so ingeniously capable of avoiding work a: your
professional pauper.
Upon this subject Sir JAMES LAWRENCE made a
noticeable rem u; k, when he said that in every palish
here w,.s a large number of men j,:st verging o"
pauper:sua, and he had reason to know that in some
the overseers elected to maintain such people ai
paupers and as a rertnanent burden on the ratepayers
rether than contribute once and for all towards the
passags money to enable theta to emigrate. It is
high time that this short-sighted policy was changed,
and that overseers, and others in responsible posi-
tions, should comprehend their own duties and
consult the interests of others to a greater ex-
tent. A little timely assistance would often enable
astruggling family to emigrate to other lands,where,
by toil and perseverance, they could do well, but
from perversity or parsimony the help is refused,
and the unfortunate persons sink into a state of
hopeless destitution. Such a state of things seems
an anomaly in an age of progress, and yet who can
deny the truth of the assertion ? Instead of en-
couraging the poor in habits of self-reliance and
inciting them to praiseworthy exertion, the parochial
authorities pursue a contradictory course, which too
often results in the encouragement of the designing
and the neglect of the really dt serving. It is true
that a great difference exists between the professional
pauper and the struggling poor, but care and caution
must suffice to discern between them. At any rate it is
satisfactory to know that the poor find such able and
willing auxiliaries in the Emigration Societies. That
some hundreds are rescued from the imminent dan-
gers that have beset them at home, and furnished with
a sure prospect of well doing, we may feel tolerably
certain on the departure of each vessel. Another
consideration worthy of notice is that arrangements
are made to receive the emigrants, so that they do
not set out on a hopeless quest, but have the ad-
vantages of employment secured to them on their
arrival. At the meeting on Wednesday, Mr. DIXON,
the Canadian agent in this country, said that be
had received intelligence flora the emigration agent
at Quebec for the Dominion, to the effect that there
was an excellent organisition of some of the best men
in that city for the purpose of receiving the emi-
grants there, and settling them in the province of
Quebec. Some idea may ,be formed of the services
rendered by the society from the statement of the
secretary,p that, including the emigrants sent out by
the Medway, they had engaged berths for 1,800
statute adults, at a cost of five guineas each adult,
which would amount, in round numbers, to ten
thousand pounds. Of that the emigrants would
pay five thousand five hundred pounds, at £3 per
statute adult ; but the amounts would exhaust
the Manufacturers' Belief Fund and that of Mr.
GOSCHEN. One of its chief merits seems to be that
while it affords timely aid to the distressed, it is
organized upon a principle which encourages self -
exertion, and calls for some effort on the part of those
who are assisted. This is the most effectual way of
hell ing people, and it is to be hoped that many may
avail themselves of the advantages presented to them,
and find in a new country that peace and prosperity
Which misfortune mismanagement have put out
of their reach at home.

The inconsistency of human nature is a favourite
t:-Tic with moralists and pla,s;pher3 ; and it may
b noCc.d that na-ions are sometia:es as inconsistent
as individu:ds. We often find a man reversing
BUTLER S aclae, an 1 deLouncing energetically in
'
another a fault he continually cotntrits with supreme
incliffetence himself, and iu the same way communi-
ties occasionally display a happy unconsciouness that