The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-30 00:00:00

CANADA COMPANY.

On Wednesday the Half-yearly Meeting of the Proprietors
of shares in this corporation was held at the Company's
House, St. Helen's-place, pursuant to the terms of the
charter. The Governor, Mr. Charles Franks, in the chair.
The minutes of the last Court were read by the Secretary,
Mr. Perry, and confirmed.
The first business of the day, the CHAIRMAN said, was the
election of a Governor for three years, and of three Directors,
and one Auditor.
It was resolved unanimously that Mr. Charles Franks
should be elected as Governor, and that Sir John Easthope,
Mr. A. Humphreys, and Mr. Stokes, should be re-appointed
as Directors. _ _

Dlr. Wilson was again appointed as Auditor.
The GOVERNOR then proceeded to state the operations for
the past year. The sales of land in the Crown reserves had
been 12,838 acres, at an average of 13s. 7d. per acre, and in
the Huron tract there had been disposed of 8,705 acres, at an
average of 12s. Id. per acre, making a total of 21,543 acres,
the produce of which had been 13,804/. currency. This was
independently of the town lots that had been purchased.
There had been leased of Crown reserves 88,805 acres, pro-
ducing an annual rental of 2,769/., or equal to 10s. sd. per
acre, and the leases granted in the Huron tract,. for the
year ending on the 31st of December last, were 63,9071 acres.
The leases were granted for twelve years, at a rental by
which, if regularly paid, the land would become the pro-
perty of the occupier, and consequently alienated from the
Company,. The total quantity of land leased and sold was
194,255 acres. The Governor then read a statement of the
receipts and expenditure of the Corporation from its com-
mencement, which was considered satisfactory. The Com-
pany had 1,378,189 acres of land paid for, but still unsold.
The quantity purchased from the Government was 2,484,413
acres; of this there had been 982,941 acres sold, and 123,313
acres had yet tote paid for, the Company having the option
of taking the latter. Since the commencement of the year
there had been sold in the Crown reserves 1,500 acres, and
in the Huron tract 800 acres. There had been leased in fhe
former 3,800 acres, and in the latter 7,290 acres, an increase
over the operations of the same period of 1842 of 3,753 acres.
In the receipts there had been an increase' this year of
2,842/, The plan of leasing the land had been most bene-
ficial, and the rents hitherto had been punctually paid. The
passing of the Canadian Corn Bill, which had come into
operation in October last, had been productive already
of the most beneficial effects, and no doubt could be en-
tertained, that it would continue to be so. Through the
exertions of the Company's Commissioners, Mr. Jones and
Mr. Widder, the sales of the Company's lands had been
greatly increased, while those on the part of the Government
had been but few. The Governor read extracts from the
correspondence received from the Commissioners, in which
the rising prosperity of the settlers was spoken most highly
of. Markets for their produce were easily found, and for cash.
They believed that emigration this year would be consider-
ablyincreased, as many from Scotland, as well as Protestant
families from Ireland, were coming to join their relatives who
had already settled in Upper Canada. An extensive ship-
ment of flour was expected to take place from Montreal.
The colonists on the Company's lands were improving, as was
shown by the remittances made to their poorer relatives in
the United Kingdom, which, upon an average, had in the
last year been 9/. for each individual who had sent home
money to fathers, mothers, &c., through the Company's.
agency, and which was done gratuitously. The total amount
so remitted from Canada to the Company last year was 2,990/. ;
and by the last letters 600/. in addition, similarly destined,
were advised. This showed that the settlers upon the Com-
pany's lands were prosperous, and that the position in which
the colony was placed was improving.
The accounts were ordered to be printed, thanks were re-
turned to the Directors, and the meeting adjourned.