102 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



The Labour Act proved, upon the whole, a success, and many now 

 settlements were laid out under its provisions. Thus, between 1858 

 and 1861 the following new tracts were surveyed and thrown open 

 for settlement: — Jolinville, Knowlesville, Olassville, the tracts occupied 

 by Alma, Durham and Glencoe (Wesleyan Tract), the tracts occupied 

 by Emigrant Settlement and Hardwood Ridge in Sunbury, Red Bank 

 and the North Branch Salmon Creelc settlements in Queens. Ferriehank 

 (west of South Oromocto Lake), Lumsden, St. Louisa, and some others 

 which were not settled. 



A number of tliese tracts were taken up by large associations mostly 

 organized upon a religious basis. This movement appears to have had 

 its origin in the reference to the advantage settlers derive from com- 

 bining together in their applications for land made by the Lieutenant- 

 Governor, Hon. J. H. T. Manners-Sutton, in his speech at the opening 

 of the legislature in January, 1860, and the cordial assent thereto of 

 the legislature in their reply.^ His suggestion was at once adopted. 

 Bishop John Sweeney, of St. John, organized a Roman Catholic asso- 

 ciation in St. John, and thus settled JohnviUe, which later expanded 

 to Chapmanville, while another association of Acadians settled a tract 

 in Kent, now called Bishopsland, or St. Paul. A free Baptist associa- 

 tion (from Yarmouth, ISTova Scotia), under the leadership of Eev. Mr. 

 Ivnowles settled Knoivlesville, and another of the same denomination 

 from St. John, under Rev. Mr. Ferrie, appears to have made an attempt, 

 but with little success, to settle Ferriehank, near South Oromocto Lake, 

 while an association of Scotch Presbyterians, mostly from Scotland, 

 under the auspices of Rev. Mr. Glass, settled Glassville. But this 

 movement soon expended itself, and apparently no later settlements 

 were formed in this way, excepting, of course, the Acadian settlements, 

 which have always been organized, more or less, upon this basis. 



During the next few years a number of new settlements were laid 

 out under the Labour Act, and most of the new settlements, both of 

 immigrants and native settlers, were made uuder its provisions down 

 to 1872. In that year the government, doubtless under the influence of 

 rapidly lessening immigration and increasing native exodus, passed 

 the " Free Grants Act," whereby lands are granted free to actual settlers 

 applying for their lands in groups. Many unoccupied parts of earlier 

 blocks were included among the Free Grants settlements, and other new 

 blocks were laid out, until, in 1879, the following were announced as 

 Free Grants tracts: Beaconsfield, Canoose, Riceville, Flour de, Quisihis, 

 Coombes Road, Commeau Ridge, Patrieville, Salmon River, Sisson 



* In the Select Committee Report of 1861 it is stated (page 45) that the 

 whole Association scheme grew out of this reference in the speech and the 

 reply. 



