ALDERMAN SIR JAMES LAWRENCEasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether, considering the favourable reports recently received from Western Australia, the Government are now prepared to fulfil their engagement to provide free passages for emigrants to that Colony?
§ MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSENSir, although the accounts of the progress of the colony are generally satisfactory, the latest authentic reports on the state of the labour market in Western Australia show that immigrants arriving there direct from England would not be likely to obtain permanent employment, but would pass on to the other Australian colonies. Until a different state of circumstances can be shown it is not thought desirable to send out immigrants to that colony.