§ Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that on Thursday, 8th July instant, the West Ham Board of Guardians resolved to emigrate 27 children to Canada, the large majority of whom, 25, are Church of England children, under the auspices and control of a Nonconformist Association, the Annie Macpherson Home of Industry; can he say whether the reports received relating to the work of the said association have been satisfactory in the past; whether each and all of the children, or their parents, if any are alive, have consented to be sent to Canada by a different religious body to the religion as entered in the creed register of the board of guardians; whether the parents or relatives of such children are asked whether they want the children emigrated; and if the Annie Macpherson Association guarantee employment and watch the future interests and life of children they take to Canada, as well as seeing to their religious belief?
§ Mr. BURNSI am informed that the guardians proposed to emigrate 28 children to Canada through the agency of the Annie Macpherson Home of Industry, but three of them have not passed the medical examination. Of the remaining 25, 23, according to the creed register, belong to the Church of England, and two are Nonconformists. As I stated on Monday last in reply to a question on this subject, I have no information to show that the association referred to is a Nonconformist association, and I find that the guardians have no such information either. I may, however, repeat what I stated on Monday, that the guardians have obtained from the association a written undertaking that978W each child if a Protestant shall be placed with a family of the Protestant faith. I understand that in the large majority of cases the homes in Canada in which the association place pauper children are reported by the inspectors of the Dominion Government to be satisfactory. Twenty-four of the 25 children are either orphans or have been deserted by their parents, whose whereabouts are unknown, and each child has consented and has expressed his desire before justices to emigrate to Canada. In the remaining case the surviving parent and the child have consented to the proposed emigration. The association does not guarantee employment for the children emigrated by them, but the guardians are satisfied that the future life and interests of the children are well cared for and watched over by the association.