§ MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, What is the amount which the Government require to be raised by private subscription for colonization of crofters against the £10,000 proposed to be provided by Vote of the House of Commons; what are the conditions on which such private subscriptions are to be advanced, and is their repayment to be secured pari passu with the advances of the Government, or otherwise; what is the rate of interest included in the eight equal annual repayments of £20 17s. 8d. each; what is it estimated will be the effective capital which each crofter family (understood as five persons) will have at command out of the £120 advanced, after paying their passage and building their house and furnishing it; and will it be paid to them 1462 in money or in implements and cattle, and first year's rations, and in what proportion; will the Government circulate Papers giving full information on the subject before the Vote is taken, and be willing to receive suggestions for insuring success in this first experiment in State colonization; and, is the Government willing to receive proposals, on similar lines, for similar experiments in other Colonies as well as Canada?
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. H. A. MACDONALD) (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities) (who replied) said(1) The amount is £2,000; (2) the repayment of the private subscriptions will be made at such times, and subject to such conditions, as may from time to time be prescribed with reference to the advances from the Treasury; (3) it is proposed that the repayments shall be collected by eight equal instalments, commencing the fifth year, at £11 5s. 8d. of capital and £9 12s. interest, and so on; (4) it is proposed that the £120 shall be expended in paying the passage money, and in buying the necessary implements and cattle, and supply, accommodation, &c., for the reception of the settlers on their homesteads; but it is not possible at this moment to give an accurate estimate of what amount, if any, will be handed over to the settler; (5) the Government will be prepared to lay on the Table of the House any necessary information before the Vote is taken, and are willing to receive any suggestions to insure the success of the scheme; but they cannot postpone the operation of the scheme in order to consider such suggestions, as delay would defeat the object in view; (6) the Government will be willing to receive any such proposal for consideration.