EMIGRATION TO CANADA [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—In your, issue of December_ 22nd your, Special Carlo_ mission;, writing on " What we are doing at Aberdare,"_
says,. "As for Emigration . wisely and sympathetically- managed, it might be a help towards solution." May .1 make a proposal, which I, venture to think_ should satisfy the. most cautious regarding its wisdom and sympathy,?
It is as follows :—Let your Aberdare Committee select fifty
Aberdare lads, under the age of nineteen years, who desire- to take up a farming career in Canada. Provided they are healthy and can pass the Canadian Government's tests, we will undertake.:— • . r .
(1) To give them free passages from their homes to the Norval. Farm Reception Depot, near Toronto, Ontario.
(2) To see that each boy has a good outfit -of elothes before` leaVing, and that his teeth are in a good condition, all at no coat
to him. .
(3) To appoint an Aberdare man. (nominated by your Committee) to conduct the party of boys safely to their destination in Ontario. A free return passage and incidental eimenses will be given. -
(4)- To guarantee that within two. weeks of arrival at Norval, each boy shall be placed-in a good farm-home, specially selected, and approved by the Immigration Committee of the United Church of Canada.
(5) To promise that each lad shall receive a commencing wage of ten dollars per month with board and lodging, washing and mending, etc.
(6) To report upon the lad's progress, and—if he sticks to his job and remains in contact with the Superintendent of the Norval' Farm—to undertake definitely to " after-care ". him for three years.
Under this scheme of Co-operation between the United Church' in Canada, the Overseas League, and the Young Men's Christian
Association in Great Britain, the parents of these lads may rest- assured that their boys will be " wisely and sympathetically" cared for. One great advantage -of this scheme is thtit it offem to a boy, not merely a job, but a definite career. AR- the farmers with Whom the United Church places a boy have' agreed to increase the lad's wages according to his deserts: The sooner a lad learns to do the general work on a farm- and - makes himself useful; the sooner he can claim higher wages. Thrift and hard work bring. their reward, because' when he-reaches the age of twenty-One, if he has saved £100 of his own money, and can satisfy the Land Settlement Board officials that he is capable of running a farM of his own, he is eligible for a loan of £500 from the. Government with- which to buy a farm. This loan is repayable In easy instal-
ments over- a period of twenty-two years, nothing being. payable during the first two years..
Thus it is that the offer which we are here making to your Aberdare boys of the right type—boys with pluck and willing-.
ness to work hard—gives them a wonderful opportunity to become independent men within ten years -of leaving home --
This :frilly- be done at no expense either-to themselves or to their parents. We are also prepared to help single men over nineteen years of age, who desire to take up farm-work in Canada. The United Church is willinglO find-good positions at ruling rates of wages for 350 such men, on yearly contracts with reliable farmers. NO man need be preVented from
going by lack of funds. . -
Let me make clear one point : viz :—Before we can promise to• send- an Aberdare man. as Conductor, there must be a party of at least fifty. This may consist of two-thirds boys under nineteen, and one-third single men over that age. If the number wishing to. go from Aberdare did not approximate fifty, we should have to attach them to another party sailing under our auspices. On behalf of the United Church of Canada, I-invite your Aberdare Committeeto select this group of boys_ and young men, to gO out to Ontario and form a little Aberdate Community in that great and prosperous Doniinion of Canada.—I arn, Sir, &e., .
- . General. Secretary, Y.M.C.A. Migration Department, and- Secretary, Overseas League Migration Bureau. . George Williams House, '13, Russell SqUare; IYC.i., [We intend, in conjunction with the Aberdare authorities, to see if we can arrange for a party.of fifty to make use of this generous offer.--En. Spectator.] - - -