§ MR. VESEYwished to direct the attention of Government to the fact, that there were large bodies of people in Ireland making preparations on their own account to emigrate to our North American colonies. In the county of Kilkenny, not far from the borders of Queen's county, there were not fewer than 400 families from one district about to leave the country to found a colony in North America. Now, it was to be feared that many of these parties 1242 would only be able to get together sufficient to carry them across the Atlantic, and the consequence might be that they would be landed on the quay at Quebec without the means of procuring bread, or the means to pass to the upper parts of Canada. The question he had to ask of the Under Secretary for the Colonies was, whether Government had made preparations, or had it in contemplation, to assist these poor persons, in case they should land in Quebec under destitute circumstances?
§ MR. HAWEScould give no other answer to the hon. Gentleman than this, that there was a small fund, and but a very small fund, at the disposal of the Emigration Committee in Quebec, from which, on emigrants arriving there who were really destitute or sick, a small provision was made for their relief. If sick, the emigrant had an hospital provided for him; and assistance to a small extent was usually in cases of destitution given to enable such poor persons to proceed to their destination. The fund was raised by a small tax imposed on emigrants to that colony, aided by a grant from that House; but it was so small that it required the utmost care and frugality in its distribution. He was not aware that there was any intention to provide a fund that would convey destitute emigrants from the port at which they disembarked to their places of destination. Parties who had been instrumental in sending emigrants from this country to the North American provinces, had been induced not only to provide passage-money, but also a small sum to carry them onwards when they reached the colony; and he hoped and trusted that, in the present case, as well as in all others, the emigrants would be properly provided for, when found in destitute circumstances. Whilst on this subject he might state, that last year the number of emigrants to the North American colonies amounted to 125,000. The system in operation had been found to work well; they heard no complaints; and he hoped that the vote which the noble Lord would propose would be sufficient to provide for those who were found in sick and destitute circumstances.