CHILD EMIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 73, 19 December 1919, Page 8

CHILD EMIGRATION

SUCCESS OF THE SETTLERS IN CANADA Those who • ever met tho late Earl Grpv know how Keenly interested ho was in the question of child emigration to Canada oven after he had ceased to be Governor-General (slates the "Westminster Gazette"). As a result of his experiences in the Dominion, he once declared that ho had come to the conclusion that "it was not possible to do a creator kindness to the Slate children of England than by removing them from Poor Law conditions to tho freer and healthier life of Cnnnaa-or ono of the other oversea dominions. He went on to sav. with regard to the conditions awaitinsr children who were emigrated to y one of the prairie provinces of Canada, r that, "tin: climate was admirably adapte.d for the rearing of a. fine, noble, ana :=■■ strenuous race. People in this coun-., trv could hardly realise how largo was llto number of'ROOtf homes in which people were longing for the entrance ol , a child from tho Mother Country. Every security Hint could Ik? desired was • taken thai: a child sent to Canada from this country was properly looked_ atter, . and had a better chance of growing; np a Rood, prosperous, self-respecting citizew than if he had continued under 1W Law conditions in this country. The** voids were spoken only two rears "before tho war,! but they apply to the. moitions of child emigration to-day untruly ns when they were spoken. And Oawida wants child emigrants, and hna . soht over Mr. G. B. Smart, Chief In-. snec'tor «i Child Emigration under the Department of Immigration, to study the whole question on this side of the Atlantic. A Remarkable Success. In pursuit of his mission, Mr. Smart has been visiting training homes and schools in various parts of the country, and inquiring into the methods of eduoation and management ' In , nn inter-", val between two flying visits to the jaw , vinces a representative of the "Westmin* ■ ter Gazette" had an interview with Mr. Smart, w.l gleanetf some interesting fan's about, child emigration. "Tho problem of the needy children, _ said Mr. Smart, "is admittedly one of vast proportions, '.ml calls for serious consideration. Under favourable aus-. pices, migration will play an important part in working out the solution of the question; indeed, no better remedy appears to be available. The migration of children to other parts of tho Empire is not a loss to the Motherland, but a Rain, provided tho Empire retains all the children sent abroad within her bounds. Tho children must bo saved to. the Empire, at whatever cost. Ihe policy of migrating Rreat numbers of girls and boye to Canada, and ether outlying portions of the Empire is not one of mere experiment. The results of tho work in a limited way prove beyond question that child emigration wider tho auspices of British organisations has ken a pro. nounced and remarkable success, the measure of which cannot easily be calculate cd." in 1914, which was practically the kst vcar of emigration, sightly over 2HJO cirls and 'bovs were emigrated to Canada, and, duving'that period, Mr. Smart men- ( turned, applications for over .fi.OOCI children were received from persons ottering desirable 'foster homes and employment. ■"During the past forty years, Mr. Smart added, "73,000 children have ljoen cordially welcomed into foster homes ana situations in tho Dominion. So Sjttisr.icton- have been the reports regarding tho adaptability of these young immigrants to their new life that Iho demand for their comnanionship and services in Canadian homes has greatly exceeded the supply-in fact, only a small traction of / the demand has been met. Ties of Comradeship. "The great majority of the boys, and irirls too, have settled on tho land and have achieved success. There are many others who, after eerviug tho allotted time iixed for them on the farm, have later followed other occupations. Some have becomo ministers of tho bospol, others have entered the professions, many, havo risen to bo su:cessful merchants. Many took an interest in Public affairs, and 10,000 of tho boys, qualified hi itfint of ago and physical fitness, voluntarily offered their services in tho war. thus giving tho best evidence of their patriot- • ism and loyalty to tho Motherland, their early experiences had, perhaps, been iorgotten, but these, youiig Britons showed that they understood and cherished tho British ideal of freedom. . "Tho investment by tho philanthrope people of England in tho reclamation of orphaned or neglected children has borna fruit beyond anything the imagiuatun could have conceived. The saving of bovs and girls through such institutions as* the Barnardo Homes, the Aation.il Children's Homes and Orphanages, tho Qimrrfer (Bridge of Weir) Homes, tho li'egan Ilomcs,' and other institutions, cannot be overestimated. "Canada," said Mr. Smart in <onclu« fion, "is to-day bound closer and closer to tho Empire by ties of comradoship-ili. arms, and its sacrifices havo dovclopjd a, desire to make it a great British country. I feel that this can be accomplished through the work into which I have come to inquire." ■.