THE AUSTR AL A SIAN LAND AND EMIGRATION COMPANY.
CONSIDERABLE difficulties have arisen to bar the emigration of one class that most needs it. Various agencies have grown up to promote other emigration. In Ireland, numbers of families who have already gone send home funds, amounting in one year to more than one million sterling. Classes that touch upon pauper- ism find assistance in effecting the process. For some of the Australian colonies certain labouring avocations are needed, and the Colonial funds are the means of carrying over the proper la- bourers. Those whose families are in possession of surplus means, or who can command the assistance of persons in better circum- stances, may also find their way to some one of our colonies ; and on arriving there may whistle for employment. But men and women of the artisan class have no appeal. Whatever may be the state of employment in this country, here they must remain. If they go to her Majesty's Colonial Land and Emigration Com- missioners—whose performance of their now limited duties is above all impeachment—they are told, and correctly told, that the conditions on which the colonies furnish funds do not in- clude the class of the applicants. These are the circumstances which give unqestionable value to the establishment and active working of " The Australasian Land and Emigration Company." The Company is established to invest capital in well-selected lands ; to convey emigrants to the lands ; to enable the labourers to repay the cost of their migration, and so to perpetuate the fund on which the Company acts, with a proper return for the share- holders. We are well acquainted with the general characteristics of the Australian colonies, and can confirm the statements of the prospectus issued by the 6ompany. "Land of excellent quality and well situate, if taken in large blocks, can be obtained at a low price, and so admit of resale in small allotments, at a good profit to the Company, and yet on terms very advantageous to purchasers. The Company, at present, own rather more than eight thousand acres. It is proposed to carry on the Company's operations in the colony of Victoria, and to purchase suitable land, situate as near as possible to the Grand Trunk lines of rail- way, for the construction of which the Victorian Government has sanctioned an expenditure of eight millions sterling, and has al- ready accepted contracts for more than half that sum." This plan of taking the locations is analogous to one that has been pursued with great success in the colony of New Brunswick ; where roads into the wilderness have, as we have more than once stated, been constructed, and paid for, through the founding of settlements contiguous to the roads, and actually peopled by per- sons originally engaged in the road-making. The process adopted by the Australasian Land and Emigration Company is precisely, the converse of this New Brunswick plan : the company will fa- cilitate the immediate and economical transit of settlers to the districts which they select ; and will give information as to the wages, the remittance of moneys and other subjects interesting to the emigrants. Shareholders in the Company may either nomi- nate emigrants to be assisted, or may claim the assistance for themselves ; the shares being divided in such amounts as bring them within the reach of the working men. It is of course important to ascertain what is the standing and moral position of the Company. This is attested in an unusual degree by the officers of the company ; for in this case there is something more than "names" on the prospectus. General Sir Frederick Smith is a man whose character needs no testimonial. John Dillon not only belongs to a house remarkable in the history of British industry,—that of Morrison,—but he is himself one of the statesmen of commerce, familiar alike with monetary and co- lonial subjects. James Stansfeld is known to the working classes of London, and of Yorkshire, for unimpeachable uprightness of character. And the lawyers of the company Messrs. Ashurst, Son, and Morris, are equally known for energy, character, and sympathy with liberal action. Many a man who has been un- avoidably turned away by the Emigration Commissioners may in this company find the means of retrieving himself from hopeless poverty at home, and, transferred to the colony, aid in promoting a like rescue for his fellow countrymen.
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