Mr. Wilmot Hortonrose to move for leave to bring in a bill for the sale and improvement of Waste Lands in the province of Upper Canada. The principal features of the bill were those relating to the sale of lands, to the apportionment of lands for settlers, to the lending of money to settlers, and the means of providing them with food for a certain period. It was proposed, that a company which had been projected for the purpose of purchasing up those lands, should be permitted to purchase upon a valuation, to be ascertained by commissioners sent out to Canada for the purpose, two of whom were to be appointed by the Crown, and two by the Company. The estimates were to be made on the bases of the 1034 general value of lands now unreclaimed. They were now abroad, and the company had proposed to take up lands yearly to the amount of 20,000l. In that estimate it had been stipulated, that they were not to overlook such interests in the territory as were vested in the church of Canada. To effect these purposes, the company were to apply to parliament for a bill of incorporation, and empowering them to make such arrangements to this end, as might be considered consistent with the general interests of Canada, and the empire at large. The precedent of the Australian company was that on which the Canadian Waste Land company was to be founded. Such was the general outline of the bill, and the project on which it was founded. When the bill should be before the House, it would be his duty more fully to explain its contents; and he trusted it would, on examination, be found, not only calculated to improve the condition and strength of our colonies in North America, but prove of great and general advantage to the empire.
§ Mr. W. Smithwas extremely desirous, that the bill should not be so incautiously framed as to injure or prejudice, the native Indians in the vicinity of these waste lands; as had been the case in the former arrangements made relative to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Mr. W. Hortonsaid, there was no reason to apprehend any such results from the enactments of this bill.
§ Mr. Humeexpressed his regret that, five years ago, when he had strongly recommended a change in the colonial system, some proposition of this kind had not been made. He had said then, and the result verified his prediction, that the system of emigration held out at the time, would be defeated by the bad system of the colonial authorities, the inordinate demand of augmented fees for individual profit—a system so different from that pursued by the United States in their sale of waste lands—and the other abuses which prevailed in British colonies. He could now support the arguments which be had used five years ago, by the official returns since received from Canada, which showed that out of 39,000 persons who had gone out, only a hundred families had been able to obtain a footing on the waste lands: so that the great bulk were actually deprived of the intended benefit held out to them in the first instance. If 1035 the present bill, then, were calculated to amend the vices and errors which were the reproach of the hon. gentleman's predecessor in office, it should have his approbation. He would repeat that, for the last twelve or fourteen years, the colonial system had been a disgrace to the government; so much so, that if there was a reformed House of Commons, he would impeach lord Bathurst for breach of duty, and move an address to the king for his dismissal. His reasons for such impeachment would not be confined to the mal-administration of Upper Canada, but to the general abuses of the noble lord's system in the Ionian Islands, the Cape of Good Hope, and the other settlements. That was his honest conviction of lord Bathurst's system; and that it ought to have led to a general colonial inquiry, to see if a more efficient check could not be put upon local abuses. Look, for instance, at the Cape, where the grossest and most glaring injustice was daily suffering—where British subjects were transported from thence to Botany Bay, under circumstances of the most aggravated oppression—and where complaints were daily made, which called for redress from any man who had a heart to feel for human misery. He wished it was in his power to do more than utter the language of complaint with reference to these abuses; and at least to remove the inefficient head of the department, who had applied no corrective to them. Respecting the present bill, he was anxious to know whether it was intended to cede or grant to the new company all the Crown reserves and church returns without qualification? Did they mean to sell the land, and leave the new purchasers to retail at their own prices? If they did, they were likely to create a private monopoly, as injurious as the previous system. In fairness, all this ought to be explained in the first instance.
Mr. Baringwished to know, whether this bill was intended merely to admit the principle of the proposed change of system, or to enable the Crown at once to execute it in all its details.
Mr. M. Fitzgeraldwas of opinion, that the effect of what had fallen from his hon. friend, was, to create a greater impression in the House and abroad than possibly he himself intended. He had belonged to the committee appointed to look into the subject of Canadian settlers, and that committee had it in proof before them, 1036 that the settlers had expressed themselves in warm terms of gratitude to the Colonial government, for the care displayed by it in providing for their welfare, and for the happy condition in which they were now placed.
Mr. Gordonrose to repel some of the animadversions which the hon. member for Aberdeen had directed against the noble lord at the head of the colonial department. He could not help considering the use of strong or harsh language as peculiarly unseaonable, when the hon. member admitted that he had no objection to the proposition of the hon. Secretary. The main ground of charge seemed to be, that the measure now proposed had not been adopted years ago; but possibly want of capital or want of a spirit of adventure might have prevented their application before. As to the observations respecting the appointments of colonial governors, that was a cabinet measure, and lord Bathurst was not singly answerable. He would undertake to say that, in all the details of the colonial office, a strict scrutiny was resorted to, in order to ascertain the characters of the servants of government sent out to the colonies.
§ Mr. Brightsaid, that, as far as the principle of the bill went, it had his most hearty assent, as he considered it a matter of necessity, to advance the progress and increase the population of the colony of Canada; but he trusted, that the bill had been framed on the opinion and advice of the colonial legislature. If that had not been done, he hoped it would not pass this session. He did not know to what extent the grants of land in that country were to be sold; but if, unfortunately, those lands were not properly settled and cultivated, instead of a benefit the measure would prove an injury to the colony. He would recommend, that the 20,000l. which it was proposed should be paid to the Crown annually, for a certain number of years, should be applied to pay the expenses of emigration to that colony.
Mr. Baringpressed upon his majesty's government the expediency of considering, in good time, what must, of necessity, be the future condition of Canada. It was impossible that it could very long continue to be a colony of Great Britain; for all experience proved, that no colony could, for any great extent of time, continue in that relation to the parent country, the productions of which were similar to the productions of the parent country. 1037 It would, therefore, be wise to consider the propriety of doing that freely and in time, which might otherwise be accomplished after great bloodshed and expense. If his majesty's government lost sight of this important consideration, they would very much misunderstand the best interests of the empire. He begged of the House to recollect, that the colony for which they were then legislating was a narrow slip of land of from 1,000 to 1,500 miles in extent; that its inhabitants were both enterprising and ambitious, and thoroughly imbued with the feeling, common in the new world, for getting entirely rid of the dominion of Europeans. He thought, therefore, that this government should act in time; and he would recommend to them to call on the legislature of Canada to inquire whether they felt themselves strong enough to separate from the mother country, and desired to be set on their own legs. We should thereby ensure the good feelings of those whom we had nurtured and brought up until they could take care of themselves. By such a policy our commercial intercourse with that country would always be attended with advantages. It would also be an act of generosity consistent with the dignity of a great country. He did not think that the interests of either country were promoted by the present bill. It appeared to be brought in for no other purpose than to support a Joint Stock company, established to speculate on emigration.
Mr. Wilmot Hortonobserved, that the principle of the bill did not relate entirely to emigration. That was an incidental part of it.
Mr. Baring.—It was to further the views of a Joint Stock company, which was to pay the government 20,000l. for fifteen years, amounting in the whole to 300,000l.: a sum which, he believed, all the waste lands, in Canada, would not produce, if put up to auction to-morrow. That company, therefore, would be more intent on getting back its 300,000l. than on advancing the interests of Canada. He therefore, as at present advised, could not see how the bill could tend to the improvement of that country. He would suggest, that a land-office should be opened in Canada, as had been done in America, where individuals might go and purchase whatever quantity they wanted; and that all land should be put under the management of the local legislature. Such a step would inspire confidence and attachment 1038 in the Canadians to a much greater extent than the present bill would do; which he could look upon in no other light than as a Stock Exchange speculation. But, if the present bill were persevered in, a clause should be introduced, that all lands that were not cultivated after a certain number of years, should be surrendered back to the Crown. The country would then have some security, that the monopolists would not hold the land for ever.
Mr. Robertsonsaid, that in the event of a union being formed with America and any of the continental powers, against this country, it would require an immense force to protect Canada; which might, after all, be of no avail.
Mr. Wilmot Hortonsaid, he had been most anxious to supply all the information in his power, relative to the proposed plan, and he must remind the House, that there was an indefinite extent of fertile land, sufficient to absorb the exertions of any amount of population that might be sent there. The object of the bill was chiefly to place the company in the character of an individual; to enable it, as an individual, to make its bargains in Canada. The framers of the bill certainly contemplated that a large influx of capital into that country, applicable, according to the directions of government, must prove of immense service to it; and it was unquestionably a part of the stipulation, that all those lands which were not settled within a certain period, should be given up to government. Under those restrictions, the company was entitled to settle the lands in whatever way it pleased-The government contemplated the system of purchasing lands, as the most beneficial to the colony, and as a means of introducing wealth into it. With regard to the question of emigration, that was not to be carried on by government; but certainly the colony did not require that poor people should emigrate there, they wanted capital. But he must say, that if the House desired to see the details of the measure, it was competent to any hon. member to move for papers; and then, if any thing objectionable was discovered, there would be some ground for complaint. That could not be considered a monopoly where an equivalent in money was given for the land. The land was to be purchased on a fair valuation, and he did not think that any more satisfactory mode could have been adopted. In whatever point of view he looked at it, he con- 1039 sidered it as a most advantageous measure. The bill was not a consequence of the rage for speculation. It had been introduced early last session; and one of its great benefits would be, that this country would be relieved from a considerable annual burthen. It was, after all, a mere question of sale; and we were not bound to sell more than we could get a good price for. The purchasers were bound to colonise it, and to make good roads. Many persons of consequence residents in Canada, were parties to the measure. Many members of the Canadian legislature, who had been examined with respect to it, were perfectly satisfied; and calculated that it would produce all the beneficial consequences that had been anticipated. He must here be allowed to say a few words in answer to an attack that had been made against the Colonial department, by the hon. member for Aberdeen. Could the hon. member, from his own knowledge, speak as to the merits of any of the facts which he had advanced? If he could not, he had no right to come forward with such direct charges. He could not conceive on what authority he had made his statements. The hon. member was bound, in justice to his own character, after dealing in such sweeping generalities, to come forward with some charge, on which he might be specifically met. The noble earl at the head of the Colonial department deserved the thanks of the House and the country; and the removal of the restrictions upon trade, as well as the just principle of colonization —which were now acted on—entitled that office to approbation; and ought to be sufficient to protect them from the unfounded charges of the hon. gentleman.
§ Mr. Humeappealed to the House, whether he had not brought forward specific motions from year to year, instead of indulging in idle declamations.
§ The bill was then brought in, and read the first time.