§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the statements in the Canadian newspapers, that "great destitution exists among the crofters recently settled in Manitoba;" whether the Rev. Dr. Robertson, the superintendent of the North-West Presbyterian Missions, has appealed to the public in Canada for aid to these distressed settlers; whether the statement of the Rev. Dr. Robertson, that some of the crofter settlers are from 65 to 70 years of age, and some were in bad health before leaving Scotland, are accurate; whether St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at Toronto has opened a fund for clothing and money to relieve the destitute crofters; and whether the Government intend to take any action in the matter?
§ MR. J. P. B. ROBERTSONWhen the statements referred to in the first part of the question appeared in the newspapers the Colonization Board at once telegraphed for information, and the reply stated that there was no foundation for the reports. The Government are not aware that any such appeal as is mentioned in the second part of the question was made. The statement in the third query is inaccurate. Only one emigrant is over 60 years of age, his age being 64. The crofters were apparently in good health when they started, and are now reported to be in vigorous health. The Government have no information to show that a fund has been opened at Toronto as suggested, but the clothing of some of the crofters has been supplemented by contributions from Winnipeg.
1328 The Government do not think it necessary to take any action on the reports referred to.