The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-22 00:00:00

GOVERNMEAT AID TO EMIGRATION.

On Monday a deputation from the National Emigra-
tion Aid Society waited on the President of the Poor-law
Board to urge on Lim, as the representative of that
department, and also on the other members of her
Majesty's Government, the great necessity of Govern-
ment assistance being given to further emigration.
The Duke of MANCHESTER introduced the deputation,
-nd forcibly pleaded the object in view.
Several other gentlemen also spoke, and represented
that a great public benefit would be conferred if
guardians of the poor had power to help persons to
emigrate who otherwise would almost inevitably come upon
the rates. It was stated that hoards of guardians found great
difficulty in disposing of the boys and girls under their
charge -that the labour market was so full they could not
Place them out. It was thought advisable by many
guardians that under proper regulations, and with
the consent of the children themselves, some hundreds
of boys and girls of 14 to 16 years of age might be sent to
the colonies. In cases where such a proposal had been
anade to the children, they had expressed their readiness
to go. It was shewn by the speakers that at the present
time there is a vast amount of destitution amongst the
respectable artisan class consequent on their inability to
find employment.
After a conversation of considerable length between the
President of the Poor-law Board and members of the
deputation, especialy as regards the disposition of the
poorest classes to emigrate,
Mr. GOSCHEN replied, and said that tha conversation
had changed a little from the point at which they first
started. The first speaker began by pointing to the
difficulties which the Poor-law Board would have in dealing
with the question, and had called attention to a paragraph
in the memorial they bad presented, which was to the effect
that it was very difficult for the Poor-law Board to deal
with the matter. Other gentlemen had taken diffe-
rent views, and thought it was desirable the Poor-
Law Board should do all they could to further the emigra-
tion movement. He agreed with the latter view. They
had previously waited on the Colonial Secretary and the
Home Secretary respecting the general question of the
movement, and as those two secretaries were much more
able to deal with the general question than he was, he
would confine himself to the question as it affected the
Poor-law Board. It had a special interest ,for him,
because, as had been pointed out, the Poor-law Board
had certain duties to perform with regard to emigration.
The question was how far they could use their power to
serve the object which had been stated —to send
out paupers—the proposal being that the guar-
dians should relieve by supplementary funds—
that they should help persons who were not
exactly on the rates, but who they might
fear would come on the poor rates. Well, the practical
point of view was how far they could assist. He
believed they could go to a certain extent. (Hear,
hear.) For some time he bad been investigating
the facts. His belief was that the difficulties had aril&
from the indisposition of the people to go. Upon that
point certainly the guardians had given strong evidence.
He thought the country ought to know that in the work-
houses of London there were scarcely any people
who were fit for emigration. Out of the
36,000 poor in the workhouses of London, there were only
3,000 able-bodied of both sexes. It was quite utopian to
suppose they could empty the workhouses by emigration.
As to the outdoor persons having relief, the number
of those fit for emigration was in proportion
very small to those who were not fit to go.
Still, there *as a balance that could go. He
agreed that it was objectionable that the emigration
should be dealt with by the separate boards of guardians.
It had struck him that the central board which was to be
established would be the one that should deal with
the arrangement. He thought that the fund,
which was to be given as supplementary, should rather
be placed to the common fund than to the fund of the
particular parish. (Hear, bear.)
The Duke of MANCHESTER suggested that the field

should be wider than the metropolis. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. GOSCHEN thought that while the general scheme
was being discussed they might do what they
could in this respect. lie should he most
happy to do what he could, as he took the
greatest interest in the matter. Of course this
fell very short of any general scheme. But that was a
matter for the whole of the Government. He would
endeavour to improve the present machinery as far as
possible. They must make the best use they
could of the means at their disposal. He should
be most happy to help them as far as possible in assist-
ing this emigration. (Hear, hear.) The larger the area
over which this spread the better was the chance for the
selection of pauper emigrants.