273

APPENDIX.

PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

A REPORT of the Albany District Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has been published. It contains a summary of the proceedings of the Committee during a period of more than two years,—that is, from the 29th July, 1840, to the present time. We would direct particular attention to the following memorial, which has been forwarded to Graham's Town, after being signed by nearly all the respectable inhabitants in the Eastern Province.

The Memorial of the Clergy and Laymen of the United Church of England and Ireland, resident in the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, to the Committee of the Colonial Bishops' Fund.

HUMBLY SHEWETH,

That the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, which has been annexed to the British dominions since the year 1806, contains, as appears from official returns, about 110,000 square miles, and 160,000 inhabitants : that of this number about two-thirds reside in the Western Province, and the rest in the Eastern Division. That in the Eastern Province about one-half of the inhabitants are European, and the other half natives of the different tribes. That there are in the Western Province about 6,600 persons belonging to the Church of England, while in the Eastern they are computed at 3,400, making together 10,000 souls. That there are at present six clergymen employed, and six churches in the Western Division, while five clergymen and two catechists are employed in the Eastern Province, where there are five places of worship already completed, and three others in contemplation. That though the members of the Church of England resident in Cape Town and its immediate vicinity have occasionally enjoyed Episcopal visitation and confirmation from Bishops proceeding to the Eastward, yet the other parts of this extensive country, including the Eastern Province, in which a large number of British Emigrants were settled in 1820, have never enjoyed any of these advantages; so that in this respect the Church of England has been left in a much worse position than any other denomination of Christians in the colony; for, while the Dutch Reformed Church has its Presbyteries and Synods, the Wesleyans, and even the Independents, their Missionary Superintendents, and the Roman Catholics their Vicar Apostolics, the Church of England is

still without the means of carrying out her own rules and discipline, or any bond of union to connect and combine her efforts; without any spiritual authority to which her ministers or members may refer in cases of difficulty or irregularity, or any proper channel of correspondence with the Home or Colonial Government; since in a word, without taking into account the Mauritius or St. Helena, which might conveniently be annexed to the See of the Cape, there are in this colony alone ten thousand souls belonging to the Church of England, eleven clergymen already employed, together with two catechists, eleven churches or chapels occupied, and several others in contemplation :therefore, on these grounds your memorialists do humbly pray that you would be pleased to use your influence in procuring the early appointment of a Bishop for the Cape of Good Hope.

And your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.

Memorials to the same effect have also been forwarded from Bathurst, Fort Beaufort, Mancanza, &c., Sidbury and Port Elizabeth and also one from St. Helena has since been forwarded by his Excellency Colonel Trelawney, with his valuable sanction and support. It appears that there are in that island, which might be so conveniently annexed to the see of the Cape, no less than four thousand souls belonging to the church, and that since it came into the possession of the English it has never been visited by a Bishop.

BYE-LAWS OF THE EMIGRATION SOCIETY.

1. That parties who lend to this Association amounts of £5 (five pounds) or upwards, according to the 3rd resolution for the formation of the Association, shall be members, and possess the privilege of recommending persons intending to emigrate, who require assistance to enable them to come to this colony, under the regulations contained in the following bye-laws.

II. That the following certificate of membership be given to every subscriber above £5, and that those who hold it shall be entitled to vote at any of the meetings of the subscribers, provided always that the promissory notes of the subscribers have been honoured at maturity, and the holder of the certificate has been registered as a member of the Association.

FORM OF CERTIFICATE.

Cape of Good Hope Eastern Districts Emigration Association.

of

has lent

This is to certify that Mrto Cape of Good Hope Eastern Districts Emigration Association for the term of five years from184, the sum of £8.d.- which constitute him a member of this Association, and confer on him all the rights and privileges thereto appertaining.

III. That special general meetings of the subscribers shall be called by the Secretary upon a requisition being presented to the Committee, signed by not less than ten members, specifying the subject to be considered by such special general meeting, but no other subject or matter shall be discussed by such meeting, except that contained in the requisition, and full notice of the meeting detailing the subject to be discussed, shall be advertised at least twice in the Graham's Town newspapers.

IV. That the Committee shall have full power to manage all the affairs of the Association, to elect and displace its officers and agents, clerks and servants, both at home and abroad, and to do everything according to their judgement, which may be necessary to manage and conduct the affairs of the Association, only all their acts must be in accordance with the bye-laws, except where they do not provide for any particular case, then they, the Committee, may act as to their judgement may seem most fitting, but they shall, at the first general meeting, propose an additional bye-law to meet the case, to be enacted by the subscribers.

V. That the funds of the Association shall be applicable only to the transit of emigrants from their native countries to this colony, or to their several destinations in the colony, and the general expenses consequent in conducting the business of the Association. That no discretion shall be vested in any agent, but that the bye-laws, and the written instructions of the Committee shall alone bind the Association, and that any liabilities not included in the aforesaid, shall be borne by the agent or agents, except the Committee judge it proper to release them.

VI. That every agent or agents shall, in addition to having a copy of the bye-laws sent to him, have special instructions from the Committee, containing the terms and directions how they desire the agency to be conducted, and that such written instructions shall be copied into a book, to be kept for that purpose, which shall be open to the inspection of any subscriber, at any general or special meeting of the Associa tion.

VII.-That agents abroad shall be allowed a commission not exceding 5s. per passenger upon each adult, and 2s. 6d. upon each child, which shall actually be shipped by them for the Eastern Districts of the colony.

VIII. That no emigrant above the age of 50 years shall be shipped by any agent to this colony; and all under the age of 14 years must be charged for as children.

IX. That the aforesaid commissions shall only be paid to agents who produce to the Committee satisfactory documentary evidence of the actual shipment of emigrants, and that the vessel in which they were shipped sailed from her port.

X.-That no emigrant shall be accepted by any agent who is not of sound hale constitution, and is not fitted for the labour of his or her trade or occupation.

XI. That the extreme amount, to be advanced in payment of part or the whole of the passage-money of any one emigrant, shall not exceed ten pounds, but in all cases the agent or agents shall do everything in his or their power to get the emigrant to advance a portion of the money required, and only when no portion can be obtained, shall the agent advance the extreme amount if requisite; but under no circum

stances whatever is the money to be paid into the hands of the emigrant. All advances of cash are to be paid to the captain, owner, or agent of the vessel in which the emigrant or emigrants' passage is contracted for, and a receipt for the amount paid is to be taken by the agent or agents, and forwarded to the Committee of management at Graham's Town.

XII. That every adult emigrant shall produce to the agent or agents abroad, a good and satisfactory character as to his or her integrity, sobriety, industry, soundness of constitution, and ability to follow his or her trade or occupation, signed by not less than three persons of undoubted respectability, as undermentioned,

Two respectable known householders, preference being given to a minister, a magistrate, a churchwarden, or an overseer in the parish in which he or she has lately resided. One known doctor of medicine or

surgeon.

FORM OF CERTIFICATES.-HOUSEHOLDERS.

in

being desirous to emigrate to the Eastern District of the Cape of Good Hope, and having applied to the Cape of Good Hope Eastern Districts Emigration Association to advanc £payment of passage money, I declare that I believe to be worthy of credit to the above amount, and that will endeavour to discharge the debt by instalments, and further, to the best of my knowledge and belief, I have answered to the under-written queries truly:

1.-In what parish, county, town, or city, does applicant reside? 2. What is the age of applicant?

3.

-What is the trade or occupation of the applicant?

4. With whom has applicant served lately?

5.-How long have you known applicant?

1

6. What character has applicant generally borne as to steadiness, sobriety, industry, honesty, and fitness to follow occupation ?

trade, or professed

7. What periods of service have you known applicant to maintain several masters or mistresses? -Why did applicant leave

with

8.

last service ?

MEDICAL MAN.

1. Has applicant a sound and healthy constitution ?

2.- -Has applicant any contagious disease, which may be communicated to other passengers ?

3. Has applicant been inoculated, vaccinated or had the small-pox ? In addition to the foregoing certificate, the agent or agents must give as full a detailed account of the character, appearance, and circumstances under which money may be advanced for any emigrant, as in his or their power; but in no case is an emigrant to be accepted unless the questions be satisfactorily answered, and the agent or agents be satisfied that the party is qualified to be sent to the colony.

XIII. That the agent or agents abroad shall contract with the owner or agent, or captain of vessels for the steerage passages of such emigrants as apply to have the whole or part of their passage-money advanced for them, and that the contract shall contain a clause, specifying that the following diet shall be provided to the emigrant:-(See page 313.)

XIV. That no agent or agents shall make a contract with the captain, agent, or owner of any vessel which is not thoroughly seaworthy. XV.-That each emigrant adult shall pay a commission of 20s., and each emigrant child shall pay 6s., in addition to the legal interest of the colony, (6 per cent.) upon the money advanced from the time it is paid until it is agreed to be repaid.

XVI. That the following form of Promissory note shall be obtained by the agent from the emigrant or emigrants for whom money is advanced, according to law 15, and that it shall be obtained before the vessel sails, and shall be at once remitted to the Secretary of the Association.

(FORM.)

The Cape of Good Hope Eastern District's Emigration Association.

£.

Promissory Note.

184 .

I hereby acknowledge that Mr. J. S. Christophers, East India Chambers, Leadenhall-street, London Agent for the Cape of Good Hope Eastern Districts' Emigration Association, has advanced and paid for the of my steerage passage in the ship

Captain

-bound to

of

Cape of Good Hope, with commission and interest due thereon, for which I acknowledge myself to be truly indebted to P. W. Lucas, of Graham's Town, Cape of Good Hope, Treasurer to the Association, in the sum of and which I hereby agree and promise to pay him, or to his order, in monthly instalments, as specified on the back of this note, the first instalment to be payable at calendar months from date hereof.

XVII. That agents shall make no charge to emigrants beyond the settled charges authorised to be made by the bye-laws, or sanctioned by the order of the Committee.

XVIII. That agents abroad shall not accept married couples, as emigrants, having more than two children unless the parents do pay for the excess.

XIX. That agents abroad shall not accept of persons as emigrants, who are labourers, husbandmen, or shepherds, living in, or in the neighbourhood of, cities or large towns; the only person who may be accepted as emigrants residing in cities or large towns are household servants, mechanics, or tradesmen, intending to follow their trade or occupation in the colony.

XX. That agents appointed at Port Elizabeth, or other ports in the colony, shall transact all business necessary to affect the Association's intentions, but particularly shall attend to the landing of emigrants and their goods, providing for their immediate wants, forwarding them to their several destinations, and to doing everything necessary to their well-being and comfort. Further, to keep such books, registers, and documents, as may be ordered by the Committee, to ensure, after a judiciously-regulated system, the proper distribution of the emigrants over the colony.

XXI. That agents shall not give any undue preferences, and that all applications for labour shall be registered at the date of their receipt, and shall be supplied (provided the emigrant be a consenting and willing party) according to priority of date; but subscribers or members of the Association will be supplied before non-subscribers.