GENSEEK
Family Colonization
Loan Society
Emigration Scheme - 1851.
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The following example of an emigration scheme, was taken from the
Belfast Gazette,
[Port Fairy,Victoria,Australia,].1851
It is an example of one of the many schemes that where made
available to encourage emigration to the fledgling colony
of Port Phillip,Australia, which is now the State of Victoria,
[Port Fairy,Victoria,Australia,].1851
It is an example of one of the many schemes that where made available to encourage emigration to the fledgling colony of Port Phillip,Australia, which is now the State of Victoria,
FAMILY COLONIZATION LOAN SOCIETY
Originated by Mrs Chishom.
Committee for Port Phillip.
Right Rev. Dr Perry, Lord Bishop of Melbourne
Rev. Irving Hetherington
Rev. G.M. Drummond, of Geelong
Very Rev. Dr Geoghegan
Rev. Mr. Strong
Rev. William Butters
Rev. Alexander Morrison
William Stall, Esq., Attorney General
Alastair Mackenzie, Esq., Colonial Treasurer
Henry Moore, Esq., J.P.
D.C. M'Arthur, Esq.i Manager of Bank of Australasia
The Hon. The speaker, James Frederick Palmer, Esq.
Wm. Westgarth, Esq., M.L.C.
John Pascoe Fawkner, Esq, M.L.C.
John Thomas Smith, Esq., M.L.C. Mayor of Melbourne
John O'Shanassay, Esq., M.L.C
William Rutledge, Esq., M.L.C
Colonel Kenby
Arthur Davies, Esq.
Captain Pearson, of Mount Ridley
Alven E. Sturt, Esc.
Wm. Nicholson, Esq.
With power to add to their number.
The above society, (which is of a purely benevolent character, and has for it's committee in England, Lord Ashley, M.P., the Right Hon. Vernon Smith, M.P., and other gentlemen of rank and influence), not only endeavors to aid struggling families and individuals of approved character in their emigration from Europe, but has for one of it's objects the re-union of separated members of families.
Persons, therefore, in Port Phillip, who wish to get out to this country, from England, Ireland or Scotland, their sons or daughters, fathers or mothers, brothers or sisters, or other near relatives; or husbands who have been necessitated to leave their wives and children behind, and may be now anxious to get them out, are informed that they and their relatives at home will be aided and advised by this society in their mutual exertions to be re-united.
This re-union may be carried out as followed:
The present cost for each adult is 12 pounds, from England to Port Phillip-
for children under 14 years - 6 pounds each, being reckoned equal to half an adult:
Loans of 4 pounds, or 5 pounds, or 6 pounds, on satisfactory reference, and according to circumstances, will be given to each adult for two years, without interest, parties themselves paying the difference in the first instance, viz. 8 pounds, or 7 pounds or 6 pounds each: a relative in this country may advance the amount, or may jointly with his relation at home make up the sum required.
To show the working of the plan- let us suppose a father in Melbourne wishes to send for his son at home, that the son can raise 3 pounds towards his own passage, that the father sends him 5 pounds and the society sends him 4 pounds, making 12 pounds, or that a son out here sends for both parents - passage 24 pounds- say the parents at home can raise 6 pounds, that the son advances 8 pounds and the society lends him 10 pounds: or again, that a husband sends home for his wife and two children, one being above the age of 14, the other under passage of the three, 30 pounds. Say that the wife can pay 8 pounds at home, that the husband remits her 10 pounds, and the society in this case gives a loan of 12 pounds, thus their passage is secured.
Much, however, as to the money arrangement, will depend upon the circumstances of individuals. Last month, one worthy son sent home for his mother and two adult brothers. He calculated they could pay nothing towards their passage; he therefore remitted by means by the society 19 pounds 4s, the society lending them 16 pounds 16s., making 36 pounds, the amount of their passage.
Again, a single person here with small means, may be anxious to get out several relatives at home who have no funds of their own. In cases like this the society recommended that the strongest and most serviceable portion of the family should emigrate first and help the others over.
A servant girl, last month, aged 12, sent home through the society 4 pounds for her mothers support, and now intends to pay in 7 pounds for the passage of her brother, aged 22, the society lending him 5 pounds, that by their joint labor and savings, they may help over their mother and three sisters; and this good daughter and affectionate sister will be able to do this, with the aid of the society's loan, in about 18 months from the time of her brother's arrival.
It is, however, desirable that the party at home should if practicable, pay half or so of the sum required to be raised at first, say 3 pounds, thus by the relative here advancing 4 pounds and the society lending 5 pounds, a person will be enabled to emigrate, and pay afterwards at the easy rate of 4s 2d. a month, or not quite 1s a week, one being allowed two years to pay back to the society the loan granted.
Whenever the loans are refunded, the same will be lent again, and if the borrowers wish it, to others of their relations.
The payment, Remittances, and Emigration of parties are thus arranged:-
whenever payment is made to the agent or secretary of the society at Melbourne, he grants to the party a numbered receipt for the amount, enters it in the " Depositor's Book" kept in his office, and pays the money into the Bank of Australasia, that firm remitting such payments in a gross sum to the bankers, Messrs. Coutts and Co., of London, the latter house having agreed to receive, and the other to remit all payments made by immigrants in Australia, for the emigration of relations, or their support at home, free of any charges !-a boon, on the part of those two Establishments, of no ordinary nature.
It will also be satisfactory for parties interested to know what Mr M'Arthur, manager of the Australasia Bank, has considerately offered, when he transmits the peoples money in a draft to Messrs. Coutts and Co., to forward at the same time the Agents, " Letter of Advice" to the committee in London, together with his descriptive roll, in duplicate, showing the names and address of persons in Port Phillip who have made the payments, as well as the names, address, &c., of these at home, for whom the money is sent.
On receipt of this roll, the Society's agent in London, writes to individuals that such sums are received for them from their friends in Australia, and lodged in Coutts' Bank for their emigration. If, however, the parties for whom the money is intended do not wish to emigrate, or any of them should die in the mean time, then the whole of the money- (for the money will all the time kept in the bank)- will be returned by the society to the persons in Australia who has remitted it; unless they state, in the first instance, that they wish, in such an event, the money to be given to other relations.
The society also undertakes, through the liberal accommodation of the banks above mentioned, to forward any small sums of money which immigrants wish to send to their relatives at home for their support, to see it transmitted or paid to them, and, in due time, to return to them their relatives' receipts for the amount.
In this way, a servant girl may send two shillings a week to her aged parent. Payments may be made weekly or monthly. The committee in London, arrange for the passage of the emigrants, gives to each family an enclosed cabin, and one to every six single females, and ample provisions are provided for them. The emigrants will have the free use of the poop-deck, and no spirits will be allowed to be sold on board, though a supply will be in store in case of need.
Those persons at the Gold Diggings who wish to get relations out, need not
to come purposely down to Melbourne to effect this, as some have proposed.They can easily meet with respectable parties at the diggings, who can engage to give them orders upon houses in Melbourne.
Persons must bear in mind that the committee in England will be unable to grant passages until the whole of the money required for such is lodged in the bank, as the finance committee must enter into an agreement to pay for such passages when the ship is chartered.
Parties should also recollect that these loans are at present sums of money obtained from the benevolent public in England, as a donation or a gift in aid the industrious classes in their emigration. These loans, therefore, are required to be repaid to the society, that the sums so refunded may be lent again to others.
Those individuals who have already been assisted with loans, and thereby enabled to emigrate to Port Phillip, by the 'Slains Castle' and 'Blundell', can pay the loans granted to them according to their agreement with the society in England, to the agent or secretary of the said society at Melbourne, who is duly authorized to receive such, and to transmit the amount to the society.
Applicants in the interior are requested to give their names, age, address, occupation, whether married, or single, reference, &c. and the names of their relatives at home, with full particulars.
For further information apply to Captain Chisholm, Melbourne, if by letter, post paid.
By the books kept in this office, it appears that 28 parents, 38 brothers and sisters, 13 children left behind, and 3 wives, have thus either been sent for by relatives here, or weekly or monthly payments are now being made for their emigration from the 10th of Oct 1851 - till present.
ARCHD. CHISHOLM
Hon.Sec.
No. 110, Swanston street,
Melbourne
taken from the Belfast Gazette.[Port Fairy - Australia] 1851
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