N.S.; R. Shives, St. John, N.B.; W. Wilkinson, Chatham, Miramichi, N.B.; L. Stafford, Quebec; J. J. Daley, Montreal; W. J. Willis, Ottawa; R. Macpherson, Kingston; J. A. Donaldson, Toronto; R. H. Rae, Hamilton; G. McMickon, Winnipeg; and J. N Provencher, North-West Territory.

The Emigration Agents of the Canadian Government in the United Kingdom are:-London, William Dixon, 11, Adam Street, Adelphi, W.C.; Belfast, C. Foy, 11, Claremont Street.

How and When to Emigrate.

The best time to arrive in Canada is in the spring, so as to be in time for harvest. The best way to come is by steamship. There are regular lines of steamships for Quebec and Montreal, and Nova Scotia and New Brunswick from London, Liverpool, and Glasgow, calling at Cork and Londonderry, and occasionally at the Channel Ports. Railroads and steamboats convey passengers to all points inland.

Emigrants should depend upon the advice of regular authorized agents, and beware of plausible sharpers, who will impose on them.

Applications respecting passages to the Canadian Dominion should be directed to the emigration agents, Mr. Dixon and Mr. Foy, whose addresses are given above.

Detailed information respecting the disposal of the Public Lands, Wages, Prices of Food and Clothing, Climate, &c. will be found elsewhere in this circular.

THE FALKLANDS,

From a Report made by Capt. Maxwell of the ship "Dido," to the Admiralty, it appears that the Falklands offer advantages to homeward-bound ships from the Pacific not possessed by the ports in Brazil generally resorted to. The "Dido" left East Falkland on the 5th December 1848, and arrived at Spithead in 49 days, and as the average passage from Rio Janeiro at that period of the year is 50 days, the time required for the passage from the Falklands to Rio (about three weeks) may be considered as saved.

Capt. Maxwell states that in the voyage direct from the Falklands, a ship proceeding to the northward is enabled to cross the southern tropic about the meridian of 25 degrees west, with the full advantage of the S.E. trades; whereas, in sailing from Rio, a vessel is 20 degrees to the westward, on the same parallel, and is often compelled to proceed 6 or 8 degrees to the south, before making sufficient easting to weather the Brazil coast. Falklands furnish a cheap and abundant supply of cattle, which can be obtained at Port Stanley.

The

The following is an extract of a letter to the Governor from Rear Admiral Hastings. "Having called at the Falkland Islands in Her Majesty's Ship 'Zealous' on my way to the Pacific, it affords me great pleasure to inform your Excellency that "Messrs. supplied this ship with 408 tons of good coal in less than 16 working hours, and that I have found every facility at Port Stanley in obtaining all supplies and provisions. I con

sider that any ship bound to the Pacific would find it advantageous to call at the Falkland Islands to obtain any supplies which may be required."

The following is taken from a despatch of the 3rd July 1867: "European vegetables thrive exceedingly well. The Falkland Islands Improvement Society (a society recently formed for the encouragement of market gardening) held its first meeting in April last. never saw, in any part of the world, finer potatoes, turnips, cauliflowers, &c., than were then exhibited. Every house in Stanley has its plot of garden ground attached, and, owing to the number of vessels that call here during the year, the cottagers find a ready and profitable sale for their surplus produce. Rabbits abound in various parts of the Islands, and wild geese and waterfowl are everywhere plentiful. The harbours swarm with excellent fish, and trout are found in the rivers of the interior. With high wages and food in abundance, the settlers, it is almost superfluous to say, are prosperous and contented. Poverty and distress are unknown, sickness rarely visits the Colony, the people are loyal, the laws are respected, and harmony and good feeling prevail amongst all classes of society."

QUEENSLAND.

Queensland comprises the entire north-eastern portion of the Australian continent. On the 10th December 1859 it was formally proclaimed a separate colony under Letters Patent from the Crown, dated 6th June, 1859. It extends from Point Danger in south latitude 28° 8' to Cape York, the north-eastern extremity of Australia, and from the Pacific to the 138th meridian of longitude in the Gulf of Carpentaria; an area of about 678,000 square miles, more than five times larger than that of the United Kingdom, and three times larger than that of France. The islands within 60 miles of the coast were annexed to Queensland by letters patent dated 30th May 1872.

The colony possesses numerous harbours, of which Moreton Bay is the principal. Anchorage may be found in almost any part of it, under shelter of the numerous shoals. It is about 40 miles long north and south by 17 miles wide, and receives the waters of six navigable rivers, viz. : the Nerang, the Pimpama, the Logan, the Brisbane, the Pine, and the Cabulture. Most of these rivers have, however, a bar entrance. Besides Moreton Bay, there are Keppel Bay, Hervey's Bay, Port Curtis, Port Bowen, Port Denison, Cleveland Bay, Rockingham Bay, Port Albany (near Cape York), and several other smaller harbours on the eastern sea-board of Queensland. The principal harbour at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria is at Investigator Road. There are already settlements at or near all the above-named ports.

The upland plains and downs of the interior afford excellent cattle and sheep pasturage throughout the year. The agricultural capabilities of Queensland are also great. Wheat, maize, and other cereals, potatoes, cotton, the sugar cane, tobacco, indigo, coffee, rice, and almost all the English and Tropical fruits are successfully cultivated in suitable situations.

East of the main range of mountains the climate and soil are reported to be peculiarly adapted to the growth of the finest kinds of cotton. It is estimated that some millions of acres are well suited to the production of cotton.

Besides its agricultural and pastoral resources the colony is stated to possess much mineral wealth. Gold has been found in several localities, also copper and tin in a very pure state. Coal of good quality is abundant, and is accompanied as usual with iron ores.

Provision has also been made by the Legislature for promoting education by means of primary and grammar schools, and in the towns ample means exist for public worship for all denominations.

Information respecting the granting of free and assisted passages, the mode of disposing of the public lands, demand for labour, rates of wages, and prices of agricultural produce, climate, &c., will be found under their several heads in this publication.

SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND AND GOLD FIELDS. Pending the adjustment of boundaries and the passing of a law by the Legislature of the Cape of Good Hope for the annexation of the Diamond Fields, the Governor, as High Commissioner, has issued six Proclamations, dated the 27 October 1871, for the provisional Government, the maintenance of order, the administration of justice, and the collection of revenue, in the Diamond Fields. (I.) Sets forth (conditionally on the Parliament of the Cape consenting), Her Majesty's assent that the territory of Griqualand west shall become part of the Cape colony, and provides for its government and defence.

The territory is bounded on the south by the Orange river, from the point nearest to Kheis; on the west to the point nearest to Ramah; on the east, thence in a northerly direction to David's Grave, near the junction of the Modder and Riet rivers, thence in a straight line in a northerly direction to the summit of the Platberg, from thence along the line or lines determined by the award of Governor Keate, to the northerly point of Langeberg, that is to say, from the summit of the Platberg in a straight line in a north-westerly direction, along the northeast of Roeloff's Fontein, cutting the Vaal and Harts rivers to a point north of Boetsap, thence in a straight line in a westerly direction, running between Nelson's Fontein and Koning, thence passing along south of Marenane and north of Klip Fontein in a south-westerly direction, in a straight line to the northerly point of Langeberg, and thence in a straight line in a southerly direction to Kheis, and thence to the nearest point on the Orange river.

(II.) The laws and usuages of the Cape Colony are to be deemed the laws of the territory, especially the laws relating to magistrates' courts, the liquor laws, and all laws imposing stamp and license duties, fees, &c.

(III.) The territory is divided into three districts, Klipdrift, Pniel, and Griquatown, and a court of resident magistrates is established in each.

(IV.) A high court, under presidence of a recorder, is erected temporarily for Griqualand west, with

power to determine all causes, whether civil, criminal, or mixed, with a right to suitors of appeal to the High Commissioner or to Her Majesty in Council

(V.) The fifth proclamation provides for regula ting digging operations at the Diamond Fields laying out and registering of claims, settlement of disputes, payment of license dues, and for co firming local rules already made by the diggers, unti. amended by competent authority.

An inspector is appointed in every proclaimed diamond field, whose duty it is to keep a register of claims, and to receive the license money, royalty, or rent; to determine all disputes as to claims and to register transfers. In Diamond Fields occupied by more than 25 registered persons, the occupiers may make rules for their mutual advantage, which, whe approved by the High Commissioner or by the Civil Commissioner, the inspector will carry into effect. Claims not worked for eight days are forfeited. The dimensions of claims are 30 feet by 30 feet, or not exceeding in any case 900 square feet each. The license fee is 5s. per month for a number of worker not exceeding three. Compensation for opening diamond diggings is to be made to the owners of private lands, where the right of minerals and precious stones is reserved. Private persons whose land is not subject to such reservation, may establish diamond digging on their property; but when the number of cisim exceeds 24, or the property is worked to the extent of 20,000 square feet, or by more than 70 persons, or has a population of more than 100 persons, the place is deemed a public diamond field, and the regulations affecting such fields are to be enforced, except that the owner may fix, but at rates not lower than on the public land, the license money, rent, or royalty to be paid, which is to be collected by the inspector, and the amount, less 10 per cent. after payment of the e penses of maintaining order, is to be paid over to

the owner.

(VI.) The sixth proclamation confirms the rights and quiets the possession of lands held under titi considered valid by the State or Government under which the holders lived, reserving, however, for consideration grants by the Orange Free State or South African Republic made since the 1st of January 1970

The South African Diamond Fields are, it is be lieved, reached from this country easiest by way of Natal. The following distances from Pieter Mritzburg, the capital of the colony, are taken from the Natal Almanack and Register for 1872. Pieter Maritzburg is distant from 52 to 54 miles from Durban, the chief town at Port Natal, the Port of

disembarkation.

The area of Hong Kong is estimated at 18,720 acres, and of Kowloon and Stone Cutter's Island at 18,207 acres, making a total for the colony of 36,927 acres. Of this quantity 712 acres only had been alienated on lease, up to the 1st December 1872; but the larger portion of the Island of Hong Kong is of such a rocky and barren nature as to be of little worth except for building sites. In the neighbourhood of Victoria and in the out villages, Aberdeen, Stanley, Shankiwan, Sywan, &c., there are small patches of land cultivated as paddy and vegetable grounds.

It is to be clearly understood that the colony presents no field whatever for agricultural labour from home. A large business in docking and repairing steamers and also in general mercantile affairs is carried on at the port.

CAUTIONS TO EMIGRANTS to SOUTH AMERICA, issued

by the EMIGRATION COMMISSIONERS, under the directions of the SECRETARY OF STATE for the COLONIAL DEPARTMENT.

BRAZIL.

The Consul-General for the empire of Brazil having, under instructions from his Government, issued a notice inviting British emigrants to proceed to that country, the Emigration Commissioners have been directed by Her Majesty's Government to publish, for the use of intending emigrants, the following information, derived principally from a report on emigration recently prepared by a member of the British Legation at Rio Janeiro.

The class to whom the notice is addressed are "good agricultural emigrants," and it is essential that none others should take advantage of the scheme as in the report above referred to it is stated that, "no artisans from northern European countries "should emigrate to Brazil," the only persons who succeed as artisans being Portuguese and Italians.

The emigrants on arrival in Brazil are to be located in colonies, the names and situations of which are given. In the report above referred to it is said," Generally speaking, northern Europeans would, owing to the climate, be useless for 66 any field labour in Brazil from Parà in the north "as far as St. Catarina, in the south, except on the "high table-lands in the interior," where success "would depend on facility of communication with "the sea."

On referring to the list of proposed colonies it will be seen that while three are in the province of St. Catarina, five are to the north of it; that is, in the country declared in the report to be unsuited to northern Europeans.

Rural lands are to be assigned to the emigrants in lots varying from 125,000 square fathoms to 31,250, at prices of from two to eight reis the square fathom. A lot of 31,250 square fathoms would be equal to very nearly 26 acres, and the price, at two reis, would be 5s. 5d., and at eight reis 17. 18. 8d. the acre. Urban lots would range from 11. 7s. 1d. to 10l. 16s. 8d. the acre.

The cost, therefore, of his land to a settler on the smallest agricultural lot would range from 6l. 10s. to 281. 3s. 4d. To this must be added the cost of passage, which for a man and wife, and (say) one child between 12 and 8, and one between eight and three would be, by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, 307. 58.

If the emigrant is unable to pay his passage, the amount is to be advanced to him. With reference to cases of this description, especial attention is called in the report to certain provisions of a law passed in October, 1837, entitled "A law for the "location of services of foreigners," which are as follows:-" Article 7. The hirer of labourers who, "without just cause, shall dismiss the hired person "before finishing the term for which he had engaged "him, shall pay him the whole of the wages which "the latter would have earned had he not been dis"missed. A just motive for dismissal is-1st, the

"illness of the hired party, so that it becomes im"possible for him to continue to render the services "for which he was engaged; 2nd, the condemna"tion of the hired person to imprisonment or to "any other penalty which may hinder his rendering "service: 3rd, the habitual drunkenness of the said "labourer; 4th, any injury done by the hired party "to the safety, honour, or estate of the hirer, or to "his wife, children, or persons belonging to his "family; 5th, if the hired party, having engaged "for a certain service, show himself unskilled in "doing the same. Article 8. In the cases men"tioned in Nos. 1 and 2 of the preceding article "the dismissed hired party, as soon as he shall "cease to work, shall be obliged to pay to the hirer "the sum he may be owing to him. In other cases "he shall pay all he owes, and should he not do sa "at once, he shall be immediately taken up and "sentenced to labour on the public works during "all the time it shall be necessary for the net liqui "dation through the wages he may have earned of "all that he owed to the party who hired him. "together with the costs to which he may have "become liable. If there be no public works in "which he may be admitted to labour for wages. "he shall be committed to prison with hard labour, "during all the time which he wanted to com"plete his contract of service. The imprisonment "cannot, however, exceed two years. Article 8. "The hired party who without just cause resig "or absents himself before the completion of the "term of contract shall be taken up wherever he "may be met with, and shall not be liberated till be "has paid to the hirer the double of what he owed "to the latter, abating the wages due. Should be "not have wherewith to pay he shall serve the hire: "gratis all the time which may be wanting to com"plete the contract. Should he again absent him"self, he shall be imprisoned and sentenced= "conformity with the preceding article."

It is stated that any foreigner declining to settle in one of the Government colonies and unable t pay his passage money would come under the abo provisions of the law.

The general employment in the country appears to be the cultivation of coffee, and in the report calculation is given of the profit and loss to a emigrant family, consisting of father and mother and three children under 18, who arrive in the country with no debt beyond 251. for their passage. and take service with a company or contractor fr the cultivation of coffee. The result is stated to be that at the end of four years the emigrant weal have increased his debt from 251. to 331. A simbar family of free labourers, however, might, it s calculated, make a profit of 30l. a year, and would at the same time, be free from the operation of the law of 1837, quoted above. It is not stated whether in the proposed Government colonies the emplørment would be the cultivation of coffee or of other products.

The report concludes by strongly dissua¦ British subjects from risking health and indepe dence for an inadequate remuneration in a trying

1

The Emigration Commissioners have been directed by Her Majesty's Government to make known, for the guidance of persons intending to emigrate to the Argentine Republic, that by despatches recently received from Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affairés at Buenos Ayres, it appears that disturbances have broken out in the province of Corrientes which emperil the lives and property of the settlers, but which it is doubtful whether the Government will be able to suppress. It further appears that some months ago attacks were made by Indians on the settlements at Bahia Blanca, and Tandil; that at the latter place a number of the settlers were murdered, and that recently the Indians had made a descent on one of the most populous centres of the province of Buenos Ayres, and had carried off more than 200 settlers with their families, among whom, it is said, there were a number of British subjects, together with upwards of 100,000 head of cattle. These outrages had caused great alarm among the settlers, especially as no adequate measures had been taken by the Government for the protection of the settlers or the punishment of the offenders.

22nd July 1872.

Second Notice.

The Emigration Commissioners have been directed by Her Majesty's Government to make known, for the guidance of persons intending to emigrate to the Argentine Confederation, that from information recently received it appears that on the 12th of June last, a party of about 300 Pampa Indians invaded the department of Rosario by way of Buenos Ayres, and came within 20 miles of the city of Rosario. They are reported to have killed all the men they met, to have carried off about 32 women and children, and to have plundered and destroyed every estate on their route. The number of lives lost was not accurately known, but it was estimated at about 70. Happily no British subject suffered loss on the occasion.

The impunity with which these outrages are effected necessarily causes great alarm and distrust aniong settlers, and paralyses the material progress of the country.

9th October 1872.

PARAGUAY.

From recent advices, official and otherwise, received by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Emigration Commissioners have been directed to make known that Her Majesty's Government cannot recommend persons of the labouring classes to emigrate to Paraguay.

Since the termination in 1870, of the exhausting war with Brazil and its allies, the country has

remained in a very unsettled state. But, more than this, it is situated partly in the tropics, and the climate, the employments afforded by the staple productions, the want of easy access to good markets, the language, the habits and the customs of the natives, render Paraguay by no means a suitable place for British labourers. Emigrants, therefore, will do well to consider that, in choosing Paraguay or any of the neighouring South American States for a future home, they will have to contend with far greater difficulties than are to be encountered in the British colonies.

24th October 1872.

Second Notice.

In the month of October last the Emigration Commissioners, under instructions from the Secretary of State, put out a notice cautioning British emigrants against proceeding to Paraguay. As, notwithstanding that notice, it is reported that arrangements have been made to establish a regular emigration from this country to Paraguay, the Emigration Commissioners have been desired again to point out to the labouring classes the risks they incur by emigrating to that country. It is right that intending emigrants should know that the emigrants who went out in October last, when they arrived at Asuncion on 9th November, found that no preparation had been made to receive them; that after being detained in the railway station two days they were forwarded to Paraguari, a distance of 46 miles, the journey, on account of the defective state of the railway, occupying upwards of seven hours; that no refreshment was provided for them on the road, nor on their arrival; and that the only shelter for the women and children at Paraguari, was in the railway station. A fortnight later the emigrants were still at Paraguari, with the exception of 70 sent on to prepare houses and tents at Itape, where it is proposed to locate the emigrants. It is said that the emigrants were extremely dissatisfied with their treatment and position, and almost in a state of mutiny.

It is further stated that Itape being in lat. 25.55, the heat there in the summer is so great as to render labour in the field impossible to emigrants from the north of Europe-that the soil in its neighbourhood is not fit for the cultivation of produce suitable for English emigrants-the articles for the cultivation of which it is suited being tobacco, maize, mandioc, orange trees, &c., and that rice, flour, coffee, sugar, and cattle must all be imported, and are consequently very dear. It is further stated that the political condition of the country is such as to make the maintenance of tranquillity precarious, and that the means of protection of life and property are insufficient.

Persons of the labouring class should consider well these circumstances before accepting any proposals made to them to emigrate to Paraguay.

13th February 1873.

D