Mariners and ships in Australian Waters



REMITTANCE and other items of interest. . . . . .

minor details would be expected to differ between Colonies/States

Emigrant or immigrant   Any person who has obtained a free, assisted or nominated passage to the Colony under the provisions of the Immigration Acts, and includes full paying passengers by any Queensland Government emigrant ship, and any applicant for a passage under the Acts.     Up to table of contents
Free passages   were granted by the Government to particular categories of immigrants, and their families, which were, from time to time, particularly required in Queensland. These categories altered over the years as conditions in Queensland changed but included at various times female domestic servants, and married couples without children. Applicants were required to pay the sum of 1 pound and a similar amount for each member of the family counted as a statute adult. To be eligible, they had to be unable to pay their own passage, they could not have resided previously in any Australian Colony, and they must intend to reside permanently in Queensland.     Up to table of contents
Assisted passages   were granted by the Government to particular categories of immigrants, and their families, which were, from time to time, particularly required in Queensland. The categories include farmers, farm labourers, vine dressers, labourers, mechanics and domestic servants. To be eligible, they had to be unable to pay their own passage, they could not have resided previously in any Australian Colony, and they must intend to reside permanently in Queensland.      
Nominated or remittance passages   Any natural born or naturalized person residing in Queensland, desiring to provide a passage to the Colony for a friend or relative in Europe, could obtain a passage warrant from the Government on payment of the require amount. The warrant was then forwarded to the friend or relative in Europe. On presentation of the warrant, the Government representative in Europe would then arrange a passage for the emigrant.     Up to table of contents
Indentured immigrants   An employer in Queensland wishing to secure the service of any mechanic, labourer or servant in Europe for employment in Queensland could authorize the representatives of the Queensland Government in Europe to engage such labour on his behalf. The employer paid the Government a sum of money for the passage of the immigrant and the immigrant was bound under contract to work for the employer for a set period of time when he arrived in Queensland.      
Full paying passengers   are simply those paying the full amount of the passage money, or for whom the full amount was paid by someone else.      
The Bounty system   established in New South Wales in 1837, involved the payment of set amounts of money or 'bounties' per immigrant to person who arrived and paid for the passage of certain categories or immigrants such as female domentic servants, shepherds, mechanics, agricultural labourers, etc. , which were needed in the colonies. The system was financed from the sale of Crown lands. Up to table of contents

Source: Queensland State Archives, Brisbane, 1987, Brief Guide to the use of Immigration Records. For greater detail refer to the Handbook to the Queensland Public Records Historical Resource Kit - Part 1.  

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Mary-Anne Warner, 2002
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