The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-09 00:00:00

CONSERVATIVE LARD SOCIETY.

The nineteenth quarterly general meeting of the
members of this scciety was held thie day, at the efficee,
No. 33, Norfolk street, Strand, Lord Ranelagh in the
chair. The following report was unanimously adopted :
The exlcutive committee have the pleaure to report
that the experiment on the 24 of .A.prd last, of c.ffering
to the holder of rights of choice the opportunity to select
houses leased and occupied, was attended with comelefe
success—the three villa residences on the St. Margaret's
estate not only having been chosen with early Rights of
Choke, but considerable premiums were paid to secure
these ex-rellent investments. Before the end of the
financial year, the committee hope to be enabkd to sub-
mit for sale other villas now in course of erection on the
Eofield estate, within a couple of minutes' walk from
the station:

After a public meeting on the 25.. h of March, the
Taunton estate was allotted on the lid of April. About
one-third has been already so'd ; and the ten&rs for the
roads and drains having been called for, it is expected
the remainder of the pots will find ready pnrchwers.
The contract for the Kentish-town roads and drains
will be carried out without delay, and will facilitate the
sale of the remaining plots on this valuable property.
The next allotment of estates is fixed for Thursday the
18th of June ; and on that day the Maidstone estate in
West Kett, and the Redhill estate in Nut field, close to
the Reigate and Redhill Station, in East Surrey, will be
offered for sl.le„ Now that two railroads are open to
Maidstone—the distance by the North Kent line being
reduced to forty-three miles—an increased demand is
expected for house accommodation. The property,
befog situated within so short a distance from the centre
of the town and the railroad statior, and the land being
also of good elevation, commanding fine views of the
Medway, is admirably adaptel for building purposes.
The Com nittee have set apart a free site for a church,
which is much wanted, in the neighbourhood of the
Rochester and Quarry roads, and have much pleasure
in adding that a handsome donation has already been
subscribed by a gentleman in Maidstone, to secure the
speedy erection of the church.

The Redhill estate is in the parish of Nutfi 13, and is
about 21 miles from London, within a few minutes' walk
of the Reigate Station, on the Dover and Brighton lines.
The picturesque character of the scenery round Redhill
is well known, and the estate to be offered will give first-
rate building frontages. The Committee have been en-
abled to offer plots of about half an arc each in this
rising neighbourhood.
The erection of the new church on the Woodbury Park
estate, Tunbridge Wells, on the site given by the Con-
servative La❑d Society, has been commenced. Nesto-
ciations have been in progress respecting the building of
churches on the Reading, Forest Hill, and St. Margaret's
estates ; but the Exaeutive Committee are not yet in a
position to report that any arrangement has been cun.
chided for either of the above-mentioned localities.

The river embankment of the St. Margaret's-terrace is
now completed, and a noble carriage drive as w.ll as a
promenade have been secured on the banks of the Thames,
•ztending from the Royal Naval Female School up to
the railroad bridge. Tee questions of a foot-bridge and
station still occupy the earnest attention of the Com-
mittee.

A recent inspection of the al'otted estates has proved
that those plots which are fenced in and looked after by
the allottees stand the speediest chance of being let for
ground-rents. Another advantage ariiihg from the land
being enclosed is, that the members can derive a good re-
turn until building operations be commenccd.
Lord Alfred Churchill having retired, the executive
committee have had the pleaure of electing Lieut.-
Colonel Augustus Meyrick a meinuer of the board under
rule 32, late 33. Viscount Pevensey, M.P , the Hon.
Ralph Dutton, M.P., W. B. Beach, E.g., M.P., E. hi.
Archdall, Esq., M.P., and Montague D. Scott, Esq.,
have been added to the list of patrons and general com-
mittee.

The returns of the business of the March quarter were
only brought up to the seventh of that month in the het
report. The figures now E tand thus : Shares in pro-
gress to June 6, 1857, 11,180; shares completed ; 2,163;
total shares, 13,343 ; receipt 4, 295,5081 93. 10J.

. . . „ .
Total withdrawals from. tho formation of the society
in September, 1852, to June 6, 1857, 44,5891. 16s. 81 ;
total sale of land, from September, 1852, to June, 1857,
205,3751. 14q. 2d.

The returns of the Register of Order of Rights are as
frllnwa :—Completed, 2,422 ; drawn, 2,677 ; seniority,
1,381 ; total, 6,430. Deduct rights exercised on estates,
building advances, &c., 3,854. Unexercised rights,
2,626.

The last share on the Register of Rights by Seniority,
after the drawing, of the 9th inst., will be about No.
6,217, and the last share taken up to the 6th inst. was
No. 13,343.

The Executive Committee had occasion in their last
report, after the contests in East Sussex and West Kent
bad taken place, to record the goad faith with which
nearly all the allottees who acquired the freehold fran-
chise in those counties through the instrumentality of
the society, had voted in favour of the Conservative can-
didates. Since the two rtru;glee referred to, a general
election has taken pace, the Fourth Parliament of
Queen Victoria having tern dissolved on the 20th of
March, 1857, and the committee have again the sati.-
faction of reporting to the members, that •the returns
of the polling have been exceedingly gratifying, and
had the general body of Conservatives noted with the
same consistency and fidelity as the allottees of the
society, some of the counties might have been saved to
the cause. The committee were well aware that in
a society, the commercial advantages of which
have been so eagerly sought after by all classes of the
community, investors of various shades of political opi-
nion wouli be found, many of whom, it may be stated,
honourably abstained from voting, but so far as regards
the members I laced on the register by the society, the
proportion of Conservative voters is at least ninety per
cent.

The Registration Courts will be soon re-opened, and
it w it be for the allottees, who have not yet obtainel
the franchise, to forward to the Society's solicitors on or
before the 2011 of July, the requisite deeds, in order that
the claims which are supported free of expense to the
members, made he duly made and sustained. It is also
imporlant that the holders of plots on estates should
give special instructions to name tho pclling district.
at which they desire to vote, inasmuch as freeholders
in distant parts of the country have the privilege,
under the Registration Act (I Vict. c. 18, s. 3G), to veto
in any polling plice in the county, although their qualifi-
cation may be in a different district—the claim being made
in due course before the revising barrister, who will in-
vert the name of such claimant for the polling place he
may specify. _

Personedebirons of qualifying for counties can do so
on the society's estates, the plsns and particulirs of
which may be obtained on application at the offices.
The Executive Committee, in conclusion, congratu'atc
the members on the continued success of the society's
operations.

(Signed)

RANELAGH, Chairman.

(Countereignecl) C. L. GRI;NEISEN, .Secretary.

LLOILYS SHIPPING.—(This Day.)

lwport, June 9.—Win,l tll3 dap at 1200 D, S.W.; Strong
broeze, and cloudy.

FALMOUTII, Jan© S.—Wind W.—Arrived—Anna
Catheriun, from Rio Grande.
SWANSEA, Jul B.—Wini S.W.—Arrived—William
Leekie, from Cuba; Coveroor, Coquimbo; Pearl, Cubs,
Sailed—Eliza, for St. Vincent,.

CARDIFF, iuno *.—Arrived-13ertb. Kohn
from Gibraltar. Sailed--Jessie Burfield, for Newfound., hod.

COWES, June B.—Wind W.—Arrived—Schlossie, from
Shanghai.
SOUTHAMPTON, Juno 7.—Sailed—Ottan•a O.), for
Bombay.
PLYMOUTH, Juno 8.--Wind S. W.—Arrived—Roska,
from Rio Janeiro.

Orr THE LIZARD, June 7.—Arrived—Joban Beck, from
Rio Janeiro for Hamburg; North America (barque),
homeward bound.

OFF DOTER, June B.—Arrived—Margaretta Roesnor,
from Shield,for Hong Kong.
BRIDLINGTON, June 9.—Wind W.S.W., strong
Arrived— Diamond, from Middlesborough for London,
leaky.

Gitiuswr, . June B.—Wind E.—SailA—Sovereign, for
Bombay.
CLYDE, Jun() 4.—Arrived—Harmonise, from New
York.

(PER ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
SOUTHAMPTON, Tuesday, 10 a.m.

Wind W.
Arrived—Argyll, steamer, from Caronton ; Jason
steamer, Bremen; Sir Robert Peel, Sunderland.
LIVERPOOL, Tuesday Morning.

Wind W.N.W.
Arriied—Corinthian, screw steamer, from Palermo ;
Arctic, New York : Tilla (i'Equa, Gallipoli ; Ferdinand,
Montevideo; Elese von Sowtzovv, Dantzie; Stalwart,
Philadelphia; Loo Christie, Ghent; Margarita, Minatel-
Jan ; Martha and Jane, Demerara ; Linda, Pernambuco ;
Annie, hiaranhael ; Camdut, and Sylvia, Alexandria.
QUEENSTOWN, June 7.

Wind S.t.
Arrivad—Aabsesaior from Matanzas.
Off—Talavera, from Chinl, for Dublin.

(BY SUBIKARIBR AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Tuesday, 9.20 A.M.
Wind W. ; tide low water ; freah and fine.
EArrived, June 80thr---b!tioaurtehrnase, from Twining ; Eliza Kirk-
bridge, WYborg ;
Sailed, June 9—City of Nantes, for Nantes.
nzaL, Tueiday, 0.15 a.m.
Wind W. byfraNpVyEtdueg,tefro. m Seaham, for Rye ;Lord
Anchored—
Duren, Sunderland, Southampton ; Caroline Coventry,
London, Madras.
Passed—Australia, Austrian bark, from the north for
the westward.

The tone of the commercial letters from liidia yester-
day is not unfavourable. At Bombay the transaction;
had been limited, but at Calcutta there had been an ei.
tensive business and prios were firm although there had
been large arrivals. A disposition to subscribe to the
New 'ive per Cent. Loan was likewise a satisfactory
feature.

Tun SCOTCH COURT OF SESSION.—The number of
rxtra sittings of the Court of Session, in terms of the
Act 2d and 3d Victoria, cap. 36, has been six, all of
them subsequent to January 1, 1853 ; of these i•ix two
were extra sittings of the whsle court and four of the
first division only. No extra sittings of the Lords Ordi-
nary have been held under the 10th section of the Act
2d and 3d Victoria, cap. 36, but under the 9:.11 section
of that Act all the Lords Ordinary have since January
1, 1840, sat three weeks longer in each year than pre-
v'ously. The number of causes standing on the roll o'
the first and second divisions of the court, and ready for
bearing on the Ist Jan., 1857, wai respectively 235 ,
and 30.

I PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(YESTERDAY.)
CASE OF MR. SIIEDDON.

Earl GREY prevented a petition from Mr. W. P. R.
Shellon, complaining, amongst other things, that, by a
decision of the Court of Session in Scotland in 1803, and
of this house in 1808, obtained in his infancy, he had
been deprived of his estates as a natural born subject of
this realic, and as the legitimate child cf his parents, and
of the means of investigating in any courts of law
the question of such statutes, and causing the same to be
recognised. The petitioner prayed for such rel'ef and
redress as to this house might seem fit. The noble lord
called the attention of their lordships to the state-
ments contained in the petition, which he stigma-
tised as one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated.
The chief actor in the transaction was a gentle-
man named Patrick, who had arrived at a
great age, and filled a high position in society and in the
tionouraiale profession to which be belonged. He had
careful'y perused the whole facts of tke case, and he
bad also read the statement of Mr. Patrick, and
having done so, he felt it his duty to bring the
subject under their lordships' consideration. The
noble lord then proceeded to give an outline of the
case; in which he entered at some length into the birth
and parent age of the petitioner, whose father, it appeared,
had the management of a mercantile business in Ame-
rica ; but on the breaking out of the American war his
estates were confiscated, in consequence of his having
espoused the royal cause. In 1778 he went to Bermuda,
and on the conclusion of peace he re-visited New York
with a view to their recovery, but was unsueces,ful up to
the time of his death, which took place in 1798. Before he
died he executed a deed respecting some property,of which
he was in possession of in Scotland, which he left to his
son. This deed could not be found. Amongst other
things, the will contained an injunction that his son
should be sent to Scotland and there placed under
the care of Mr. Patrick a nephew of Mr. Sheddon,
sen. Mr. Sheddon was married in America, and the
issue of this marriage was two children—the petitioner
and a daughter. To avoid the marriage, which was per-
formed by civil declaration, being qaestioned, another
marriage took place in Scotland. His lordship then
entered into further details, bearing strongly on members'
of the Patrick family, who, he alleged, had denied the
legitimacy of the petitioner, and withheld his property,
both Scotch and American, to which he was lawfully
entitled, and concluded by moving that it be referred to
a stlect committee,

The LORD CHANCELLOR said the question was
one not merely personal, but invoving a principle. He
acknowledged the correctness of Lord Grey's statement
in the main, but defended the Messrs. Patrick from any
suspicion of fraud, and argued upon the invalidity of the
first marriage; and that the case bad been already de-
cided, and ought not to be re-opened.
Lord 13ROUGHA.M said there were two questions—
first, bad their lordships been led into a wrong decision
by ignorance of the first marriage ; second, could they
ou that fact being proved, supply a remedy by re-open-
ing the case. A similar point had been raised in Laurie's
case, where a divorce bad been obtained in Scotland and
a fresh marriage had been contracted there. In the
course of the discussion it appeared that several of their
lordships bad done the same thing themselves—Lord
Erskine, the Lord Privy Seal, and the Archbishop of
Canterbury of that day.
Lord CAMPBELL suggested that Lord Erskine was
married by an episcopal c:ergyman.
Lord BROUGHAM apologised ; he had not written
Lord Erskine's life. (A. laugh) He thought, under the
circumstances, that an inquiry should take place.
Lord ST. LEONARDS had decided the original case
against the petitioner on three grounds-Ist, that the
petitioner, as an alien, bad no locus ; 2d, that there
was no fraud proved against Mr. Patrick; 3d, that there
was no marriage in 1790 proved.
Lord LYNDHURST said the fact of the first mar-
riage, now first beard of, placed the case in a new light,
and opened up another question for fresh decision. Be-
sides, at the first trial, the petitioner was a boy of six,
and the present defendant was his guardian. He had
first tried to set aside the original decree for fraud, but
the Court held that no fraud was alleged. Now he came
forward with the fact of the previous marriage of his
mother and father in a valid manner, as but now first
known to him, but before known to Mr. Wm. Patrick.
He considered the first marriae as proved. His lord-
ship supported the motion for an inquiry. -
The Earl of ALBEMARLE thought Mr. Sheddon's
isrroily had been shamefuly ill-used. Mr. Patrick's cha-
racter in the:, house seemed to stand high. In New York
they called him "the biggest scoundrel that ever came
from Scotland."

The LORD CHANCELLOR rose to order. Such
language was not even legally justifiable.
Tho Earl cf ALBEMARLE stood corrected. Their
lordships ought to grant the committee.
Lord LYTTELTON supported the motion.
Lord REDESDALE opposed the motion for a select
committee.

Earl GREY, in summing up the discussion, made
some severe remarks on the interference of the Lord
Chancellor. Mr. Patrick was represented as highly re.
spectable, but base acts were unfortunately of late not
incompatible with appearances of ielpectability. They
required evidence, not testimony. Mr. Patrick had
plainly concealed the evidence of the fir,t marriage. He
foresaw the difficulty in re-opening a case judicially de-
cided, but even if Mr. Sheddon were to lose his property
he must not be divested of the tights of a British subject.
He would recommend a committee to examine the
petition.

After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM,
Their lordships divided. The numbers were—
Contents
Non-contents
Majority
The motion was therefore negatived
Their lordships then adjournod.

19
-t3

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Viscount GOD ERICH on the motion for going into
committee of supply on the Civil Service Estimates
called the attention of the house to the last report of the
civil eery ice commissioners, and to the present system of
admission to the civil service. The noble viscount referred
to the report of last year, to which he called their atten-
tion last cession, as well as to the speech of the right
hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer on that
occasion, which induced him (Viscount Goderich) to
withdraw his motion, from an impression that a great
change was to be effected in this branch of the service,
and said that, after reading the report laid on the table
of the house this year, he felt much disappointment to
find that no adeance had been made in the right direc-
tion, that of open competition. The noble visceunt,
who was less audible than usual, read a variety of extracts
from the reports in support of his views. In pass•
ing, he remarked that ho found the rxeminers of the
nomination of the right hon. gentleman the member for
Wells (Mr. Ilaytet) in the Excise and Customs, ap-
peared to be less stringent than in other departments.
(Laughter.) He bad no desire to urge the Government
to adopt hastily any eeended system, but that they
should progress and not retrograde. He had no desire to
take the subject out of the hands of the Government,
but if he considered the answer of the Government
uasatisfaetory, he should take an early epeortunity of
again bringing the subject forward. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. -.7...1AL1NS said that a short time ago a young
gentleman applied to him for a nomination, stating that
he was desirous of cubmiAing to an examination, and
that members of Parliament could nominate. He tvH the
young man that he did net understand what necessity
there was for a nomination if the examination was to be
open to the world. He however gave him a nomination,
which was returned in a few days, with the intimation
that it was of no use, and the young man then inquired
where he was to apply for a nomination. He told the
young man that he was_unable to give him the least in-
formation upon the subject, and from that time to this
had been unable to ascertain bow a nomination was to bo
obtained. If a nomination could not be obtained without
Government influence, the result would be that there
would be no such thing as a real competitive examina-
tion. He trusted the restriction would be removed, and
that those who desired to submit to an examination
would be allowed to do so without having any such diffi-
culties thrown is their way. • •
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
hon. and learned gentleman was so accomplished a law-
yer, was so well acquainted with all branches of civil
Jurisprudence, ard so well versed iu acts of parliament
and all other sources of law, that ho should have thought
it highly improbable to be asked by the hon. and learned
gentleman for information which ought to be within his
own knowledge. (A. laugh.) The order in council,
issued two years ago, regulating the examinations for
admission into the civil service, made no alteration in
the power of the crown with respect to nominations for
the civil service. Then a proposition was made that all
situations in the girt of the crown in the civil service
should be open to competition it was explained that such
was not the effect of the order in council, but that
the power of nomination vested in the crown re-
mained iuntouched—that it was part of the preroga-
tive of the crown to make the appointments and fix
the salaries, which were afterwards voted by parlia-
ment. With regard to the principal departments—
such as those of the Secretary of State and the Admi-
ralty—the nomination was by usage vested in the head of
the department. The nominations in the revenue depart-
ment, the audit board, and some other boards rested with
the head of the Government for the time being. Such
was the usage•with respect to the civil service, and he
should have thought the hon. and learned member re-
quired no informatieti on that point. That would also
be a sufficient answer to the question put by the hon.
member for Derby (Mr. Base) a few days ago. Oa a
former occasion he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer)
expressed an opinion that it was not desirable that em-
ployments in administrative departments should be
thrown open to public competition. Such a proposition
at one time received the approbation of the public, but
the Government thought it would not be an expedient
mode of filling up vacancies, and proposed that all per-
sons entering should be subjected to an examination,
to test their efficiency. That examination had boon
conducted by efficient persons, and the results were
embodied in the reports. It bad been asserted that
the Government had pursued a retrogressive course,
and had lost a portion of the advantage they had at one
time.gained. Now, so far as regarded the execution of the
order in council, and the examination of candidates for
the civil service,-there had been no retrogression, and the
system bad been enforced with great strictness and regu-
larity. The number of candidates registered in the first
half-year had been 29 per cent., and in the second half-
year it amounted to as mnch as 38 per cent. What he had
stated was a proof that the system was efficient ; and the
answer which he had given would apply to the whole of
the system established under, the order in council. The
Government had not only never professed any intention
to introduce a system of open competition, but they had,

on every occasion when the subject was intr)duced, ex-
pressed their oljection to that system: The real practicel
matter at issue between the neble lord and the Govern-
meut was, to a hat xtent the plan of volnntery compoti•
tion amorg,t the limited number of candidates selected
by the heads of departments should be carried. What he
stated last year was, that it did not appear to him that
the system of competition could be applied with advan-
tage to that class of officers in the civil service who per-
formed for the most part mere mechanical duties—snch
as watching, and duties of mere trust ; but that with re-
gard to clerks and other officers in the inferior depart-
ments, in whose cases a liberal education was expected,
a competitive examination amongst a limited number of
candidates, chosen by the head of the department, would
be conducive to the public interest. His noble friend now
at the head of the Treasury had acted on that principle,
and had found the system work satisfactorily. With re-
gard to the diminished number of competitive examina-
tions during the last balf-year, he was not aware that
such bad been the fact ; but he presumed that it had
arisen from some accidental variation in the number of
vacancies. The system had been adopted by the Tres-
Fiery, the War Department, the Home Department, the
Colorial Department, the Board of Trade—
An HoN. MEMBER—Not the Beard of Trade.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—WeII,
the Board of Works and some other boards. The heads of
these different departments had voluntarily adopted the
system. Hie noble friend had not felt himself justified in
making it compulsory ; but it had been recommended as
the practice of the Treasury, and a majority of the supe-
rior departments bad carried it out. That mode of filling
up vacancies had led on the whole to the choice of can-
didates moat qualified for the public service, and most
likely to discharge their duties in a satisfactory manner.
The Government did not intend to lay down any inflexible
rule on the subject, or to depart from the order in coun-
cil. The manner in which the appointments had been
made bad proved to be satisfactery, and in taking a
general view of the manner in which the system had
been administered he believed the house would come to
the conclusion that a great and important advance with
respect to the nomination of candidates to the public
service had taken place since the first introduction of the
order in council. (Hear.)
Colonel SYKES thought the heads of the departments
ought to place a portion of the patronage to public com-
petition. The system of nomination must necessarily be
ineffective. He was quite satisfied there would never
ba a want of competition, for he knevvanany instances
of lieutenant-colonels and others on half-pay competing
for offices not of the most dignified nature, the salaries
of which did not exceed 601. or 701. a year.
Mr. VANSITTART wished to know on what prin-
ciple the Government granted or refused nominations for
candidates;

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—On
the ground of efficiency. (Laughter.)
THE ITALIAN LEGION.
Mr. M. MILNES rose to put a question to her Ma-
jesty's Government respecting the engagement entered
into with the Argentine Confederation for the reception
and employment of a certain number of the officers and
soldiers of the Italian Legion, and to ask whether the
authorities of the Argentine Confederation have adhered
to the stipulations of that -agreement I At the conclu-
sion of the war the Government made certain arrange-
ments by which a portion of the foreign soldiers employed
by this country were sent to the Cape and to Canada.
An offer was made to the Italian troops, and a document
was issued by the War-office which offered them some
remarkable inducements. They were told that Parana
was a perfect paradise, that it produced enormous quaff.
tities of fruit of every kind—that ice was a thing alto-
gether unknown—that butter and beef could be bought
for a penny a pound ; but beyond all these recommen-
dations there was another perhaps still more attractive,
for they were told that the women were remarkably
handsome—(laughter)—extremely industrious, and a
great many of them without husbands. (Continued
laughter.) The troops were told that they would re-
ceive a considerable portion of territory at a very mode-
rate rent. The result was that a considerable number
of the men belonging to the Italian Legion accepted the
offer ; but he understood that the arrangement had not
been properly carried out, and that, instead of finding
themselves in a flourishing colony, they were wandering
over the country in a state of great destitution. He
whiled to know whether these men were actually in the
condition which he bad described.

Sir J. RAMSDEN thought the explana'ion which he
was about to offer would satisfy the house that there had
been no breach of faith, either on the part of her Ma-
jesty's Government or the Argentine Confederation. At
the conclusion of the war the Ital'an Legion was dis-
banded at Malta. A considerable number of the men re-
turned to their homes, but the remainder, amounting to
rather more than 1,000, were not allowed to do so. They
were then brought to Englaad, in order that they might
avail themselves of the opportunity of going to North
America or the Citps of Good Hope. Shortly after their
arrival in this country negotiations were entered into
with their government. and 700 of them were allowed to
return to Italy. At that time au agent of the Argentine
Confederation was endeavouring to procure a number of
emigrants, and he applied to the Government to induce
them to use their influence with the men who had not
obtained permission to return to their country. The
Government declined taking any part in the transaction,
and referred the agent to the n.en themselves. ills
terms were accepted by 350 of those persons, and they
were sent nut in two vessels. On the arrival of the first
vessel at Parana the men disembarked, and found wages
extremely high, not less than from 4s. to ss. per day.
They were to have a grant of 28 acres, with 6tl. a day
for the first year, 41, a day for the second, and 2d. a day
for the third, Finding they could obtain so large a re-
muneration for their labour they applied to be released
from their original terms. The Government complied
with their r: poet, and two thirds of theta were released,
the other third determined to look at the place where
the land was which had been allotted to them. They
found it much further off than they had expected, and
applied to be all iwed to return to Parana. Some of
them went on shore ; they refused to proceed further,
and demanded their liberty. This of course was granted
them immediately, and therefore it was entirely of their
own accord that these men had been released from their
stipulations, and not by any compulsion on the part of
the Governm.ent. Ile might state that he had seen a let-
ter from an English gentleman who had lived a great
number of years in the Argentine territory, and he stated
that the wagea of unskilled labourers there was from 4s.
to ss. a day.