1917-18 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FOEESTS AND MINES. 161 



Briefly, the manner of handling the men is as follows : — Applications are listed 

 in the Department of Lands, Forests and Mines, and from time to time the men 

 are called up in parties of from twenty to forty for examination. Each man 

 i;^ examined by a competent physician to determine his physical fitness for 

 farm work. After medical examination the applicants appear before a Committee 

 on which is represented the Department of Lands, Forests and Mines, the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, the Invalided Soldiers' Commission, the Great War Veterans' 

 Association, the Soldiers' Aid Commission, tlie Canadian Patriotic Fund Com- 

 mittee and the Vocational Training Department. If the men pass the medical 

 examination, and if their applications are approved by the members of the Com- 

 mittee mentioned above, they are deemed eligible to enter the scheme of land 

 tcttlement. They are then sent forward to the colony located in the Township 

 of O'Brien on the banks of the Kapuskasing River, where they immediately enter 

 into the work which finally enables them to locate in their own houses on their 

 individual holdings. At Kapuskasing they proceed to clear and fit for the plough 

 ten acres on the front of each 100 acre lot — one lot being allowed to each prospective 

 settler. 



No cliarge is made for the land. During the period in which the men are 

 engaged in clearing the ten acres on each lot, they are paid by the Department 

 in one of two ways — either at a certain rate per hour or by contract at a certain 

 figure per acre, determined by the conditions which attend the clearing of any 

 particular lot. 



At this point it might not be amiss to give a brief review of what has 

 been accomplished at the Kapuskasing Colony. The Colony is situated on the east 

 bank of the Kapuskasing River immediately south of the National Transcontinental 

 Railway. The river is a stream of large size at this point, and the rapids which 

 occur just at the railway bridge, add greatly to the natural beauty of the place 

 and will doubtless ultimately figure in connection with power development. The 

 following points might be noted : 



(a) Nineteen frame houses of five or six rooms each have been erected in the 

 form of a village along the east bank of the Kapuskasing River — the houses 

 being generally occupied by returned men and their families while the necessary 

 clearings are being made on their respective lots, and while the dwellings are 

 being erected thereon. These houses are comfortable and are of good appearance. 



(h) A large frame administration building and residence has been erected. 

 This building is occupied partly as an office, and partly as a residence by some 

 of the colony officials. 



(c) A dormitory with a modern kitchen, dining room and recreation room 

 has been erected. The living room is equipped with a piano, billiard table and 

 gramophone, and an up-to-date supply of reading material is always available. 



(d) Goods are supplied to members of the Colony from a store which has 

 been erected by the Departmeiit. This store contains a large and well assorted 

 stock, and goods are supplied to the members of the Colony at cost. 



(e) A substantial frame storehouse at the terminus of the railway siding 

 has been provided. 



(/) A blacksmith shop has been erected and is in charge of a returned man 

 who followed this trade previous to his enlistment. 



(g) A large modern stable for the housing of stock has been erected on the 

 Provincial Government farm. This farm consists of 600 acres, this land having 

 been reserved adjacent to the village — approximately 125 acres will be placed 

 under crop on this farm during the spring of 1919. 



