COLONIZATION AND PUBLIC WORKS IN NEW BRUNSWICK.

[We complete the series of extracts, begun last week, on the subject of public works in New Brunswick as a preliminary to colonization. The following passages amplify and corroborate the information conveyed in the former extracts. We recommence with the evidence of a witness whose experience and high character obtain great attention.] Mn. SAMUEL CUNARD. (Contractor for the Packets between Boston and Liverpool; a Landowner in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.) "Have any means occurred to you by which a more active demand could be created for labour in Nova Scotia, so as at once to promote the interests of the colony, and to give the means of settlement to an increased number of British emigrants? "—" There has for some time past been great discussion on the sub- ject of a railroad from Halifax to Quebec. That is the principal thing that would give employment to labour. I am not aware of any other great public work. That has been much under discussion lately." "Do you think that that would not only give employment connected with the execution of the work, but would give also collateral employment in promoting "Do you think that that would not only give employment connected with the execution of the work, but would give also collateral employment in promoting

settlement upon the lands? "—" I think that line of railway would open for culti-

vation a very extensive tract of country, a rich and good country capable of cul- tivation; and that the persons employed on the railway would naturally settle, and ought to be encouraged to settle, on the sides of the railroad, and become its protectors from danger afterwards, and be employed in repairing it. I think that a large population might be employed in that way." " Supposing a great public work were undertaken which afforded employment for a number of conseentive years, do yon think that the employment given to the

body of emigrants arriving in any one year, for one year only, would enable those

emigrants to settle after that one year's employment, and to give their places upon the public works to other settlers who might follow the same process in the subsequent year? "—" I think they might do very well: but emigrants like to hold on to public employments, and it would give a great deal of dissatisfaction arbitrarily to remove them for the public works. But I think that a.great many

persons would be desirous of settling; and that as soon as they acquired a little means, which they would at the public works, they would settle themselves, and they might be encouraged to settle. I think if you were arbitrarily to say that

they shall after one year quit the public works, it would dissatisfy them, and they would look upon it as harsh and severe; but if you let them alone, and let them acquire a little money, they will probably pick out locations on the road and settle themselves."

" And leave room for other persons to come upon the railway? "—" Yes."

"Applying the question, not to arbitrary or compulsory removal from public works, but to the facilitation of acquiring settlements on the land through the medium of the wages that have been earned, with the desire that you have de- scribed to become possessors of land, have you any doubt that there would be a considerable number of parties engaged upon the public works who would an- nually pass from the condition of labourers on the works to be possessors of land?'" —" I think that a great portion of the persons who were employed upon the- railway would become settlers on the land: they would progressively become so,, and even while they were working upon the railway they would be glad to get land and become freeholders." "Supposing that parties receiving full wages upon the public works were enabled to deposit, as in a savings-bank, a certain amount of their wages, to be- come a future means of ;settlement, do you think that that course would encou- rage and facilitate the passing of labourers upon the public works into the claw of settlers? I think that would be a very good plant: it is the plan that I established myself in our colliery." " Will you describe the mode in which you have adopted that plan with refer- ence to your own pursuits? "—" I deducted ten per cent from them: they con- sidered it a harsh measure in the first instance, but I did it to have some little hold on them for their good behaviour. They expected me to fulfil my engage- ments, but they considered themselves perfectly loose with me; and therefore I in- sisted upon receiving ten per cent of their money, and keeping it in deposit; but not to keep it from them, but to pay them five per cent interest upon it. After a time those men saw the advantage of it, and thanked me for it. They received it very ungraciously at first; but ifter a time, when they saw the little deposit ac- cumulating, they were very grateful for it." "Having stated the advantages which you consider would follow-from the es- tablishment of that line of communication between Halifax and Quebec, in rela- tion to the internal interests of Nova Scotia and New Branswick, does 'occur to yon that it would be productive of any circumstances of a more extendal and national interest as bearing upon the whole British North American question?' —"I think it would be of the greatest national importance with reference to the union of the Provinces; it would be the. means of preserving the Provinces; and: enable you to bring down the produce to the shipping ports in the winter, when it would be otherwise shut up in the ice." "It would increase their desire to remain connected with the Mother-country,. with which they ban that connexion? If the Canadians are obliged to carry their produce into all American port, into a foreign. port, they naturally become acquainted and connected with that power intimately; and then, in the event of any disturbance between the two countries, the men will say, There is no means of taking the produce excepting by the enemy's country, and I must go to it; I will not be shut-rip' and starved: I must go to this American port.' That would tend very much, in my opinion, to alienate and lower the good feelings of the Colonies towards the Mother-country. This great railroad would be of great ad- vantage, if it could be made. The Government are taking the most proper means of ascertaining the practicability of the measure. They have directed a survey to be made of the line, and they have done everything that can be done to ascer- tain the propriety of making the railroad. If there are no engineering obstacles to prevent it, it would be a great national good, and ought to be accomplished. Then I think you would find employment in that mode, I was almost going to say, for millions of people. It is a fine extensive country, and great employment might be furnished there immediately." Mn. J. B. UNIACKE, M.P.P. [The Halifax and Quebec railroad, Mr. Uniacke thinks, will make Hali- fax a large seaport.] " Halifax is accessible at all seasons; has a very fine harbour, universally admit- ted to be such; and the St. Lawrence is closed for half the year: consequently,. productions which find their way to Montreal and the large cities on the St. Law- rence cannot find an outlet to the Atlantic, unless they peas ovarforeign territory (which is not desirable) to Boston or to New York. The people of Republican. America are endeavouring to open lines of communication, and have succeeded to a certain extent, and will ultimately approach the banks of the St. Lawrence; and. if so, they will draw off all thel trade in the winter months to Boston and New York. This railway from Halifax to Quebec will counteract that effect, and bring the trade over British territory to a British Atlantic port nearest to England."

[The line will confer great political and military advantages on the Province.]

" The necessity of a line of railway from Halifax to the St. Lawrence," says Mr. Uniacke, ` has been proved on several occasions. Wherever hostilities have been commenced troops have been exposed to very harassing and fatiguing marches. It is fifteen or sixteen days march, mostly through a wilderness, till they reach the St. Lawrence. In consequence, the Government have projected a military road, which is now suspended. The substitution of this railway for the military road would connect all the different military and strong points, and give the advantage of a more extended and rapid communication. Of course, if there is no hostihty these facilities are not so important; but in time of peace preparation should be made for war. I do not believe that our frontier settlements now can be sustained without strong fortifications. The boundary, by the Ash- burton treaty, is on the bank of the river St. John's. Between that point and the Lower Provinces there must be several strong positions otherwise the frontier will be unprotected. It is in contemplation to have a military post at Bois Town at the head of the Miramichi River, and another in Cumberland.' [A plan of settlements and reserves alternating along the line, Mr- Uniaeke thinks, will repay the original cost by the increased value given to the land.] "Some who have undertaken to make the calculation, amongst the rest Mr. Cogswell, [formerly. a Member of the Legislative Assembly and of the. Legislative -Council,] conceive that it would not only pay the expense, but leave an overplus, provided sufficient capital was advanced by Government, and the project tinder- taken. He lays great stress upon the value of portions of land reserved at the termini; and that in the extent of five hundred miles there must be positions where at future periods land would become more and more valuable, and towns spring up."

"Is it found that towns spring up under such circumstances? "—" In the United States it has been so. The Erie Canal only dates its existence from 1825, and now you pass through a line of cities upon its banks."

Mn. M. IL PERLEY, Government Emigration Agent.

[Mr. Perley gives some particulars touching other railway undertakings in New Brunswick, besides the great line.]

" Besides the survey to which you have alluded from Quebec to Halifax, of a line in prospect, has not there been something practically done by the Colonial Legislature on the subject of internal communication by railway? "—" A railway company was incorporated in New Brunswick some years since, for a line from the sea at St. Andrew's, up the valley of the river St. John, to Quebec: the line "was surveyed at the expense of her Majesty's Government, and found to be an 'easy and practicable one; and it would probably have commenced then • it was in- tended to be commenced, but the UnitedStates Government remonstrated against the construction of the line, as interfering with the territory which they claimed; and on that remonstrance her Majesty's Government issued a prohibition. Since the settlement of the boundary by the Ashburton treaty, (the survey of which i

closed in the last season,) the company are now moving again; and in order to encourage them to the undertaking, the local Government has given the com- pany very extensive powers and privileges: they have granted them a belt or strip of land of four hundred feet in width, over which the railway may pass, with land every ten miles for a station; and the faith and credit of the Province stands pledged to guarantee a minimum dividend of 5 per cent per annum, on a -certain amount of stock for ten years after the railway is opened, and a further grant by way of bonus of 20,000 acres of land, to be held by the company in fee simple, and to be selected by the company on the line of the railway." "Has that been confirmed by the Home Government? "—" The Provincial Par- liament passed the bill with a suspending clause, and I am officially informed that it has received her Majesty's assent in CounciL" "It is not a guarantee upon the whole amount of capital? "—" No; upon a cer- tain amount which is to be raised in England." "Are you aware how many shares have been taken by natives of the Province ? " —" This guarantee is confined to a certain section of the line from St. Andrew's to Woodstock. The estimated cost of that section is 160,0001. sterling; of that sum 80,000/. is to be raised in the Province, and 50,0001. has been already subscribed there. The company is incorporated, and it is proposed to dispose of the other 80,000/. in shares rn England under the Provincial guarantee." "Has the line been changed at all in consequence of the Ashburton treaty; or • is that portion ceded to England which the line ran through ? "—" One portion of ,the surveyed line is cat off, and the line of railway if carried on to Quebec will • have to be altered in part from the surveyed line. The line from St. Andrew's is proposed to be carried to Woodstock, and thence up the valley of the St. John to the Grand Falls. It is anticipated that it will there intersect the grand trunk line from Halifax to Quebec, in case that should be constructed. If that trunk line is not constricted, then this line may be pushed on to Quebec."

"Is it upon the whole 80,0001. sterling that is to be raised in England that the guarantee is given? "—" Yes; the like amount of stock to be raised in New Brunswick is not guaranteed."

" What is the whole length of the line supposing it to be completed? "—" About

320 miles from St. Andrew's to Quebec." • • •

" This railway which you have described, in the event of the execution of the great line from Quebec to Halifax, will be a feeder to that railway? "—" If the . Halifax line should be constructed, it will be a very powerful feeder to it: but in- dependently of that, it will be a profitable commercial line, inasmuch as there is a vast amount of traffic up the St. John, going up to supply the upper country, which is now taken up at very great expense against the powerful current of the St. John. But if the Halifax and Quebec railway goes on, it will be almost essen- tial to the success of the undertaking that this short railway should first be made, because it would enable the centre part of the railway to be going on at the same time as the two ends, which could not go on without a railway to the sea. There would be no means of getting up men, materials, or provisions, except in summer, and at very heavy expense." " At present, by the construction of that railway, that railway having already obtained the assent of the Legislature and the approval of the Government, do you conceive that that railway in itself will extend the means of employment within the colony, so as to afford advantageous means of receiving a greater 'mol- ter of emigrants than what have been received in past years? "—" I conceive that the construction of that railway would at once enable the Province to employ double the number of emigrants than it did last year. In the case of the arrange- ment contemplated being made, which I have in charge here to make, I am pre- pared at once to engage for the reception of 1,000 able-bodied labourers in the present season, to provide houses for them and their families or the line of rail- way, and to give them employment at 2s. sterling per day for slue months cer- tain after their arrival at St. Andrew's."

[Other sources of occupation contribute to increase the capacity of the colony for absorbing emigration.]

"Is there any mineral wealth to be found in the colonies that would also afford additional means of employing emigrants, provided the means of communication were better than they now are?"—" New Brunswick contains within its limits a number of minerals, especially those generally considered the most useful. I -allude especially to iron, coal, and salt. Iron is found in various districts very sibundanfly, and of very good quality; coals also are found over a very consider- able area of the province:

"Is it bituminous coal ?"—" Bituminous coal in sandstone. Salt springs are found; gypsum is abundant; granite of the finest quality is found; grind-stones are a staple export; so also is freestone; and there are potter's clay, fire clay, and a variety of other valuable mineral productions." "Is your statement founded upon year own observation, or upon any scientific researches which have discovered those mineral products?"—" I make the state- ment in part from scientific researches which have been made in the colony, and in part from my own observation."

" Is there any mode of employing and giving food also to any large emigration through the fisheries? —" The fisheries might be increased to an almost indefinite extent. The construction of railways and the increase of population would ,cause an increased demand for the products of the fisheries. The Northern shore of New Brunswick being a grain-growing country, having in front of it a magnificent fishery, would afford a most admirable opportunity of establishing fishing colonies `there; and those colonies could be so managed as to absorbs an immence num- ber of emigrants of the fishing class from Ireland or Scotland."

[Climate of the colony, and its social advantages.]

"'How many months in the year is snow Upon the ground, upon the average?''

---" Four or five months." • • • "But the climate is healthy notwithstanding the severity? "—" We think so. it is very hot in the summer for a abort time." "Does not a new corner suffer very much from working in that excessive beat ? ' —"No- the air is so dry, pure, and elastic. The natives of New Brunswick are an exceedingly healthy people; they are a tall and powerful race, very athletic and very active."

"With reference to the climate, do you observe a visible improvement in the heidth and physical character of an emigrant after he has been a certain time in the colony? "—" I have been very much struck since I commtaced performing the duties of Emigration Agent with the improvement in the appearance of the humblest class of Irish peasant very soon after his arrival in the colony. In twelve months the whole physical appearance of the man will alter: he rises in intelligence, and his frame seems to expand; he becomes straighter, and appears a different man."

"When they acquire land, they acquire political privileges, do they not? not?"- " Yes; on becoming freeholders they become qualified to serve on juries, and to perform parish offices. The land which they hold becomes a guarantee for their good conduct."

Do you conceive that if those thousand people of whom you have spoken, with their families dependent upon them, were employed in the mode you have de- scribed, any considerable number of them would either be absorbed in the labour-

market of the colony after their labour upon the line of railway had been com- pleted, or would have the means of acquiring land and becoming independent

after the completion of the work ?"—" From the experience which I have had, I am fully impressed with the belief that none of the labourers would remain a second year at the rate of 2s. sterling a day: they would rise above that; they would be either taken up by works going on incident to the railway, or which would spring up incidentally in the course of its construction, or they would by some means gather together a sufficient sum of money to buy themselves a lot of land and go upon it. Their tendency would be to rise, after having become in some degree accustomed to the country."

[Hr. Perley is asked to give some particular instances of the settlements which have been formed in consequence of the formation of roads and have flourished.] " Can you give any account of particular settlements formed in the neighbour- hood of those roads? "—" Two very striking instances of the success attending the formation of new settlements in the wilderness by associations of settlers, having the privilege of making their own roads at a reasonable rate, exist in York County. The Harvey settlement was formed in 1837, by a party of emigrants from the North of England, who landed in New Brunswick in a very destitute condition. A report upon this settlement was presented to his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, by the Honourable L. A. Wihnot, the Commissioner who formed it, on the 9th February 1844, accompanied by a statistical return. This report states, that it is shown by the return, that from land where not a tree was felled in July 1837, there had been taken during the preceding autumn 260 tons of hay and straw, and 15,000 bushels of grain, potatoes, and turnips; and that the great success which bad attended the labours of these industrious and valuable settlers afforded an unquestionable proof of what might be done on the millions of wilderness land in New Brunswick. The return shows the number of settlers to be forty-four, and the value of the improvements to be 4,2891. 10e. The set- tlers accompanied the original return with the following observations, written by one of the parties hiMself—' The climate of New Brunswick agrees well with the

constitution of Englishmen; the air is salubrious, and the water as pure and wholesome as any in the world. During the six years of our location, but two

deaths have occurred, while there have been thirty-nine births without the presence of medical aid. Six years' experience has convinced us, that notwithstanding the privations to which new settlers are exposed, diligence and perseverance must in- sure success.'" " This was an English settlement?"—" Yes." " Was that settlement in the middle of the forest, or was it one of those settle- ments upon the banks of the river ? "—" It was in the forest, upon the line of road between Fredericton and St. Andrew's."

" Could that settlement have existed without that road?"—" It could not have

been formed." • • •

" You have given an example of the progress of the Harvey settlement, which was an English settlement: can you give the Committee a similar example with respect to an Irish settlement? '—" I can mention the Teetotal settlement'; which was an Irish settlement, formed by people from Cork and Kerry. It was formed in 1842, under the same Commissioner, by a party of destitute emigrants from the South of Ireland. In a report from the Commissioner, dated 25th Ja- nuary 1844, it is thus stated—' The results of the second effort in which I have been engaged in forming settlements in the wilderness have afforded me the most unmingled satisfaction. Where but two years ago stood a dense forest, there have been gathered by thirty-five settlers during the past autumn 7,236 bushels of grain, potatoes, and turnips. The accompanying return shows an estimated value of 1,137/. in buildings and clearings; and when there is added to this the market value of the crop, exceeding 8001., we have about 2,0001. return (exclusive of the making four and a quarter miles of road) from a tract of land which in its wil-

derness state would not in the same time have produced a shilling. I cannot now consider the successful occupation of our wild lands by associated bodies of set- tlers, having the privilege of making their own roads at a reasonable rate, as a doubtful experiment. No antagonist theory can prevail against the practical ex perience which can now be referred to. Similar management must produce similar results; and I am well persuaded that no other system is so well calculated promote the improvement of our millions of wilderness acres, and thus to advance the population and commerce of the Province.'"

" You have stated the success of two settlements, one by English settlers ann the other by Irish; and those settlers appear to have been able to make that set- tlement in consequence of employment upon the roads, fur which they got pay- ment from the Provincial Government: could they have settled themselves if it had not been for that artificial aid which they got from the public in making those roads? "—" They could not, as they could not have obtained access to the land."

"Could European settlers, whether English, Scotch, or Irish, put down upon the wood lands in New Brunswick, establish themselves and feed themselves, unless they got assistance from the public in some shape to enable them to get wages and to cultivate the land? "—" Certainly not: they cannot settle without some assistance."

"But those roads were not made merely for the purpose of leading to that dis- trict in which the people were to settle ?"—" They were great lines of road pass- ing through the wilderness, and connecting principal points." " Independently of the collateral advantage which must arise to those settlers in gaining the occupation of their land, were those roads in themselves profitable and useful to the colony ? "—" They were necessary and useful to the colony." • • • " Can you inform the Committee whether the parties who settled at the Harvey settlement, or at the other, brought any capital with them at all; or whether

they came dependent solely upon their labour?"—" In both cases they were ab- solute paupers; they were on the parish. Those English settlers were, when they were marched out into the wilderness, actually upon the parish of Fredericton." "Yon stated that other parties were settled upon the line of road which was open in that direction: would those other parties have been able to find any em- ployment there had it not been found them by those settlers upon that line of road? "—" Those people purchased and went in; but they get their share of the road work, which goes on every year."