generally would be a sufficient inducement for persons to immigrate to this Colony? I have not the least doubt of it, particularly since very favourable intelligence has arrived from South Australia.

13. Were you never out of the Prussian dominions till you came to this Colony? No.

14. What means would you suggest to the Committee, for the introduction of your countrymen into this Colony? I think if a considerable sum were remitted, at any rate the amount of the passage-money, in the purchase of land, that would be a sufficient inducement.

15. You think they could pay their own passages? The greater number, especially if the persecution in the Church should continue; if that should be discontinued a change would probably take place, and those who are able to pay their passages might not be inclined to come.

16. By Dr. Lang: Are you aware what is the annual emigration to the United States, from Germany? I should think about thirty thousand annually.

17. And that population pays the expense of its own emigration entirely? Yes, those congregations who unite in emigrating have generally large funds. In a letter which I have received recently, it is stated that a single congregation have been able to contribute, for the purchase of land in America, nineteen thousand dollars. The amount of capital possessed by the emigrants to the United States is estimated at about five millions of Prussian dollars, which at three shillings a dollar, would be about seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling.

18. By the Chairman: Do you not think we ought to send an agent to Germany, to establish a system of immigration in the first instance ? It would be doubtless a great advantage.

19. By Dr. Lang: Do you think if accurate information respecting the eligibility of this country, as a field for immigration from Germany, were diffused in Germany from such a source as would induce the people to give credit to it, they would be disposed to come here rather than go to the United States? I think so, for many reasons; on account of the climate, the soil, and also from the news that have reached them from South Australia, which have induced two new congregations to come out to that place about six or eight months since.

20. They emigrate in entire congregations, establishing a common fund? Yes; for my own part I should not endeavour to induce my countrymen to come out except in that way, bringing their minister and schoolmaster with them, because, coming out singly, they would have disadvantages in many respects, from being unable to express themselves in the English language; from the difference of their habits, and other causes, and particularly from the want of a home; if, however, they came out in congregations, they would settle upon one spot, and the young

men and women, who were scattered about the district would feel that they had a home to which they might resort occasionally.

21. Do you think the district of Moreton Bay peculiarly eligible for the settlement of such persons? I have not the least doubt on the subject; the soil is most fertile, and the climate is milder than even that of this part of the Colony.

22. By the Chairman: Would you be apprehensive that the penal character of the Colony would interfere to prevent persons of that description from coming out? No.

23. By Dr. Lang: Especially if they came in communities? Just so.

24. What kind of productions may be raised at Moreton Bay! First of all, almost every kind of European vegetable, and also the productions of tropical climates, vine, orange, peach, tobacco, pine apples, bananas, sugar-cane, coffee, flax, maize, wheat, yams, sweet potatoes; cotton thrives very well, and arrow-root is growing very fine. Persons are able to have two crops during one year, of maize and sweet potatoes.

25. Is there a large extent of land in the district of Moreton Bay, suitable for the settlement of small farmers? A large extent; at least as large a tract as that of the Hunter's River, is suitable for small settlers. It has come under my knowledge, that a small settler not far from Brisbane Town has raised about eighty bushels of maize from one acre.

26. By the Chairman: Was that circumstance well authenticated? So I have been told; there is more rain in that district than here, and the heat of the sun is less oppressive.

27. By Mr. Cowper: What would be the expense of the passage of an individual from Hamburgh to this Colony? I am not aware; but I have not the least doubt if a German vessel were taken, immigrants might be brought at a less expense from thence than they could from England.

28. Do you think the rate of wages paid here would be a sufficient inducement to persons to immigrate to this Colony? I think so.

29. By the Chairman; From the north of Germany we should be more likely to have a Protestant community? Yes, they are Lutherans and Calvinists there; those who have settled at South Australia are Lutherans.

30. Have those who have settled in South Australia brought their clergyman with them? Yes, and they have their churches.

31. By Mr. Cowper: Did they purchase allotments of land there? I am informed they settled in the neighbourhood of Adelaide, and held land on a lease from the Company for seven The seven years have now passed; they have united with the new arrivals, have bought land, and are now forming little villages and towns.

years.

32. By Dr. Lang: You are aware that there is a considerable disposition to emigrate from Germany, independently of religious persecution? From some of the States there is, but I do not

think the desire to emigrate from Prussia would be so great, but for religious persecution.

33. Can you speak as to emigration from Bavaria? During five years, from the year 1835 to 1840, twenty-four thousand five hundred emigrated to the United States from Bavaria, or nearly five thousand a year; and it was estimated that they carried with them a capital of 7,000,000 florins, or six hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds. Bavaria is a Roman Catholic State, but with a large Protestant population, whose condition under a Romish Government induced them to emigrate the more willingly.

34. By the Chairman Where did they embark? Chiefly at Rotterdam and Havre-de-Grace.

John Dobie, Esq., Surgeon, R.N., called in and examined :—

1. You are a settler on the Clarence River? I am.

2. And have been engaged in pastoral pursuits for some years? Yes.

3. During which time you have had occasion to employ a number of shepherds and farm servants? Yes.

4. You have seen a considerable part of the Colony, I believe, have you not? Yes, both the northern and southern parts of the Colony.

5. Will you state to the committee what you consider to be the capabilities of the Colony as a field for immigration from Europe what advantage does it hold out to the immigrant? I think it holds out many advantages, inasmuch as it not only provides him with a comfortable competence, but with the means of becoming comparatively opulent.

6. Do you think that the labouring man may, by the exercise of industry, sobriety, and prudence, put by a sufficiency to maintain him during old age without labour? I do.

7. By the Auditor-General-Do you consider any climate in the world to be superior to this? I do not; for I have been in almost every country in Europe, in the East Indies, and in North and South America.

8. By the Chairman-What do you think of the capability of the country for supporting a considerable population-do you think there are tracts in this Colony capable of supporting a dense population? Certainly to the north there are, upon the banks of the Richmond River, in the lower parts for instance, thousands of acres fit for agricultural purposes.

9. What do you think of the Clarence? That is more a pastoral than an agricultural district.

10. What is your opinion of New England? That also is a pastoral district.

11. By Dr. Lang-You have been on the Richmond River ? I have.

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12. Is there not a good extent of alluvial land there? On the lower part of it.

13. Capable of supporting a dense population? I will not say a dense population, but comparatively a large one.

26. By the Auditor-General-Do you think immigration to this Colony is equally advantageous to the mother-country and to this Colony? I think it is of as much consequence to the mother-country as it is to this Colony; we both partake of the benefit. I think it is a perfect absurdity for any one to imagine that it cannot be of advantage to the mother-country; nay, looking at the frightful statement lately made in the House of Commons, by Sir James Graham, of the amount of pauperism in England, I think it criminal in the British Government in allowing any part of its population to starve, when one of its colonies, possessing such an abundance of food as we do, would be glad if they will only send the people to work for it, and to eat it. Upon the score of humanity, this cannot be too strongly urged upon the Home Government; this is, however, taking but a very limited view of the advantages to the mother-country-that of merely getting rid of its redundant population. Let the Home Government send us a sound and healthy race, we shall soon turn their labour into a source of profit to themselves, render them happy, comfortable, and contented, and the Home Government will soon be repaid by the increased demand for their manufactures.

27. By Dr. Lang-Have you visited any of the British colonies of North America? Yes.

28. What do you think of the comparative advantages to free immigrants coming to this Colony, or going to any of those? The advantages this country holds out to the immigrant are far beyond those presented by the North American colonies; the two countries cannot be compared in point of climate; here we have a splendid climate and mild weather, instead of a long dreary winter; there the people suffer very many privations. I have been in North America when the people could not work for six or eight months in the year; during the greater part of that time the country was covered with snow; in this country there is no interruption to a man's labour.

29. Which of these colonies have you been in? Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and also in the United States.

30. Do you think an immigrant coming to this country and hiring himself out as a servant, has a much better prospect of establishing himself comfortably on his own account, within a limited period, than he would have in any of these North American colonies? There cannot be a question about it.

31. And also as to the prospect of acquiring wealth ultimately? Yes; the article of clothing is very expensive in North America, but that is a very trifling expense to men here; the expense of clothing in North America would take up half a man's wages; the article of clothing is almost the only expense a man is put to in this Colony.

32. Do you not think that the advantage to the immigrant of having his labour made available for the cultivation of the ground for the whole year in this Colony is of great importance? There cannot be a doubt upon this point.

33. Can two crops be obtained in the most favourable situations of the North American colonies during their short summer? No, that is quite impossible in North America, inasmuch as the summer is not above three or four months in duration; we may have two crops in this Colony.

34. By the Auditor-General-Might not fresh sources of industry be opened in your district? The principal source of industry is pasturage.

35. Might not the vine be cultivated? No doubt it might; but the district to which I belong is principally pastoral. I am not aware that there is much agriculture there, it being chiefly confined to individual stations.

36. By Dr. Lang-Do you consider the condition of the shepherd a comfortless one? Certainly not; I think it is a very comfortable and easy life; a man has a comfortable hut, his rations are regularly supplied him, and he has no laborious work.

37. And it affords him a prospect of a comfortable independence? Yes, I have now men in my employment who have purchased mares, and these mares are in the course of producing stock; these men have been only a short time with me, but have saved their wages.

38. Are you aware whether it is generally the case that shepherds are possessed of stock, to a greater or less extent? They are principally possessed of horses; their great object is to get a mare; there are a great many of my men who have got money in the Savings' Bank; I seldom come to Sydney without paying money into the Savings' Bank on account of my men.

39. By the Auditor-General-Do you find the shepherds employed by you generally save their earnings? Some do, and it is within the compass of all to do so; for they are furnished with everything excepting clothes and tobacco, and they are clothed with very little cost; but some are indifferent about it.

40. By Dr. Lang-Is the climate to the north favourable for field labour for European constitutions? It is; I have seen no country where a man may be exposed to the weather with less danger than this; indeed it is a climate very far superior to any that I have been in.

In addition to these valuable items of information, the reader will find various interesting and important observations, both on the capabilities of the northern division of the Colony and on the advantages to be derived from an influx of emigrants into that part of