§ MR. HENRY SETON-KARRI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give any information regarding the proposed State Colonisation scheme to British Columbia recommended by the Select Colonisation Committee in 1889, and in course of negotiation in 1892; and what steps, if any, the Government propose to take to carry out the recommendations of the above-mentioned Select Committee?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.The Colonisation Scheme to British Columbia is provided for under two Acts passed in 1892 by the Legislature of the Province of British Columbia as read with 55 and 56 Vict., cap. 52. The agreement settling, in accordance with the provisions of the aforesaid Acts, the terms to be made between the Imperial Government and the Government of British Columbia, for the purpose of carrying out the scheme, was communicated by the Treasury to the Colonial Office, on the 15th of August 1892, for transmission to the Government of British Columbia. Since then the Government of the Province of British Columbia have not approached the Imperial Government on the subject, and if anything 1155 further is to be done it rests with the former Government to take the initiative.
§ MR. SETON-KARRasked the right hon. Gentleman if he could tell the House whether there were any lands still retained by the British Columbia Government in British Columbia for the purposes of colonisation?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI do not know.
§ MR. SETON-KARRI beg to ask the Lord Advocate, whether the State-aided Crofter Colonisation Schemes to Western Canada have been attended by any measure of success; what is the present condition of the colonists that have been sent to Saltcoats and Killarney, what are their present numbers and the nature of the most recent Reports concerning them; whether any available funds still remain for further State-aided colonisation; and, whether the Government propose in any way to devote these funds, if any, to such purpose?
§ * THE LORD ADVOCATEThe Crofter Colonisation Scheme to Western Canada has riot yet been attended with much success. The Reports for last year have not yet been received from Manitoba, but are expected in a few weeks, after which no time will be lost in submitting to Parliament the Annual Report of the Colonisation Board for 1895. By the last Report there were at Saltcoats about 90 settlers and at Killarney about 160. At the former place arable farming has not proved successful. Many of the crofters have left it to seek work elsewhere. Those who have remained are chiefly occupied with stock raising. In Killarney things are more flourishing. There were 3,520 acres under cultivation last year. The people are becoming used to the new life and are contented. They have recently been joined by a few more emigrants who have come out at their own expense from their native islands, Lewis and Harris. But, unfortunately, the Killarney colonists during 1890 and 1891 contracted debts to local dealers amounting to about £4,000, on which they have to pay heavy interest, and this stands in the way of their prospering. There still remains unspent in the hands of the Colonisation Board about £5,000. The Government are not prepared at present 1156 to start any further schemes of State-aided emigration.
§ MR. SETON-KARRasked what the Government proposed to do with the £5,000?