Rains, plus exceedingly hard work, put out the great bush fire reported in my last letter, but not before enormous losses had been incurred, especially in British Columbia. There is one feature in these fires which is not generally mentioned but should be, and that is the cruelty which the- inflict upon animals and birds and other forms of life to be found in the bush, and not only there but in the barns and buildings which get caught in the fires. A report from British Columbia says that in one fire which spread over 15 miles long by about five wide, thousands of game birds were roasted alive, and herds of deen were" burned to death, Cows in the fields and barns were so burned that the gelatine in their hoofs wag melted off. Some were actually found wandering about in this awful condition. Poultry were destroyed by the thousand and many valuable horses burned.
Dectine ty InieRation.
Immigration to Canada has fallen off seriously. For April, May and June the immigrants numbered a few over 25,000 from all countries, so it is easy to see what a drop there has been since 1914, when the total for the year wag 384,878. It is known also that a large number of Canadians sought work in the United States during these months. Probably Canada's desire to prevent people coming here who may only add to the unemployment which was prevalent soon after the War had a great effect in causing lessened immigration, and it was a good thing, but recently Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have been making special efforts to obtain just the class of British immigrants which Canada also wants—the farmer with capital and the agricultural labouwrer—amd they appear to be getting them. Another cause for the decrease is put by the "Mail and Empire" as follows:—"Prohibition in Canada is undoubtedly costing this country most of its opportunity to get good BYtish immigration." However, a conference will shortly be held between the Dominion Government and the various Provincial Oabinets, to arrange for a more vigorous immigration policy, which it is to be hoped will put an end to the present one of each Province having one of its own and spending money upon it, thus causing useless expenditare by overlapping.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.