Letter Robert Tomlinson to Mr. Fern of the Church Missionary Society 16 December 1880
Page 1
[1] St James’s Vicarage
[2] Dublin Dec 16th /80
[3] My Dear Mr. fern
[4] Allow me to thank you for
[5] yours of the 14th instant. I will take
[6] care of the enclosures for the
[7] B[isho]p and Mr. Duncan and see
[8] that they reach their destination
[9] as soon as possible. As I did
[10] not receive the passage money in
[11] time, I have been obliged to postpone
[12] my departure for a week at least.
[13] I have received pressing invitations
[14] (only a few of which I have been
[15] able as yet to accept) from several
[16] of the clergy in and around Dublin
[17] to address meetings in behalf of
[18] the Ch[urch] Miss[ionary] Soc[iety] and an earnest
[19] request has been made that I
[20] would prolong my stay till after [Christ]mas.
Page 2
[1] With regard to the questions asked
[2] “How much land would be necessary
[3] and what would be the probable
[4] cost of securing it for the Society?”
[5] The answers must depend upon
[6] the object for which the land is to
[7] be taken up. In my letter of
[8] Feb. 14th 1878, you will find it in
[9] the proposal therein contained,
[10] reference is made not only to the
[11] taking up of the land, but to my being
[12] aided by a lay man in the pay
[13] of the Society. Had that proposal
[14] been accepted in its entirely by the
[15] Committee it would only have been
[16] necessary to have learned from the
[17] committee what amount they
[18] were prepared to be acquire for the mission
[19] farm and the necessary mission
[20] buildings. When however, through
[21] want of funds the Committee were
[22] obliged to defer their sanction
Page 3
[1] to granting a salary to an agricultural
[2] assistant I could not myself
[3] undertake such duties without materially
[4] interfering with the higher ones of
[5] preaching and teaching and when
[6] moreover my brother in law
[7] unexpectedly proposed to join
[8] me and supply this deficiency
[9] it became necessary to determine
[10] on what conditions such a proposal
[11] could be entertained.
[12] My brother in law came forward
[13] to assist me in my attempt to
[14] introduce agriculture among the
[15] Indians by taking so much of the
[16] work off my hands as would be a
[17] hindrance to me in the discharge
[18] of my other duties while at the
[19] same time he wished to establish
[20] a home for himself. After long
[21] and thoughtful consideration of
[22] the matter we decided that the way
Page 4
[1] which seemed likely to prove most
[2] simple, and at the same time
[3] promised to be most advantageous
[4] to the three parties interested, viz.
[5] The Society. The Indians
[6] and Mr. Woods would be as follows.
[7] In conjunction with my brother in
[8] law to take up a tract of land (by
[9] preemption). When we had acquired
[10] this tract, one half of it was to belong
[11] to him. from the other half a portion
[12] on which were the mission buildings,
[13] gardens &c. was to be made over to
[14] the Society in fee simple. on the
[15] remainder of my half and the
[16] whole of Mr. Woods’ the farming
[17] operations were to be carried on.
[18] The advantages to be secured by
[19] this plan were. The land was
[20] acquired in the cheapest and
[21] simplest way. The Society got
[22] the site on which were their buildings
[23] &c and also such additional land
Page 5
[1] around them as secured them from
[2] all molestation. They were not
[3] involved in the purchase of land
[4] which might become a burden to
[5] them in case I had to leave Ankihtlast
[6] and my place were supplied by
[7] one ignorant of, or unwilling to engage
[8] in farming. They secured in Mr. Woods
[9] the help necessary for carrying out
[10] the scheme free of expense to them.
[11] As well as having in him a neighbour
[12] friendly to, and interested in the
[13] mission. As for the Indians. The
[14] site of their settlement was secured;
[15] they had advantage of learning
[16] farming , and acquiring seed
[17] and stock on the easiest terms,
[18] and Mr. Woods while assisting the
[19] mission, was forming a home
[20] for himself, and gaining possession
[21] of a good farm.
Page 6
[1] Thus far in explanation, and to shew
[2] that this plan was was not proposed for
[3] personal aggrandisement, for my
[4] boast has ever been to sink private
[5] interests in advancing the welfare
[6] of those among whom I work.
[7] Your rule is, that a missionary
[8] ought not to take in his private
[9] right land in the immediate
[10] vicinity of a mission settlement.
[11] and I can well see why you are
[12] loath to break through a rule even
[13] in such a case as this, which may, as
[14] you say, be one in which no injurious
[15] consequences would follow.
[16] Such being the case what are
[17] the alternatives? First. for the Society
[18] to acquire (by purchase or otherwise)
[19] not only the site on which are erected
[20] the mission buildings, but so much
[21] additional land as would be
[22] necessary for establishing a mission
Page 7
[1] farm. This land ought not be
[2] less than ¼ of a square mile
[3] (160 acres) in extent, and could be obtained
[4] in either of two ways. by special
[5] application to the Lieut[enant] Governor (but
[6] whether a permanent title could be
[7] obtained in this way I do not know)
[8] or secondly by purchase. The upset
[9] price for land in that district
[10] is $100 dollar or 4s an acre, and a further sum
[11] for survey when ever made by the Government,
[12] also a record of fee of 10s But how is
[13] this farm to be worked? I cannot do
[14] it alone, and it is hardly to be expected
[15] that Mr. Woods will consent to assist
[16] me, when by doing so he cuts himself
[17] off from establishing a home for himself.
[18] If then we cannot count on Mr.
[19] Wood’s assistance then we must fall
[20] back on my original proposal for
[21] the Committee to empower me to employ
[22] a man to look after the agricultural
Page 8
[1] interest of this mission. This would
[2] involve the Society in an annual
[3] outlay of £100, as there is no probability
[4] of my being able to get a suitable
[5] person for a less salary. If this
[6] approves itself to the Committee
[7] all I stipulate is, that the stocking
[8] and success of the farm is at my
[9] personal expense and risk, the
[10] appointment and dismissal of
[11] this person is to be in my hands, while
[12] I on my part engage not to appoint
[13] or retain in the situation any one
[14] not approved of by the local conference
[15] and the B[isho]p.
[16] A second alternative would
[17] be for the Society only to acquire the
[18] site of the Mission premises and
[19] the land immediately adjoining surrounding
[20] (say 50 or 60 acres). That Mr. Woods
[21] supposing he is willing, secure
Page 9
[1] the adjoining land in his own
[2] right, and with my assistance
[3] farm this land. In this way the
[4] land would be Mr. Wood’s, I would
[5] not own a foot of it; but in farming
[6] it the necessary experiments in the
[7] planting and growing of crops
[8] would be carried on with my
[9] assistance, and the stock from
[10] which the Indians farms are
[11] to be supplied would be raised
[12] on it. In this way the Society
[13] would only be at the expense
[14] of securing the land immediately
[15] required for mission purposes.
[16] The Indians would still have
[17] the full benefit of the agricultural
[18] scheme while no loss would occur
[19] to the Society in case anything
[20] happened to me, nor would they
Page 10
[1] be saddled with a large piece
[2] of land worthless to them if at
[3] any time the missionary in charge
[4] were unable to carry out the farms.
[5] The only other alternative would
[6] be for the Society only to secure the
[7] site of their buildings, and the
[8] ground in the immediate
[9] neighbourhood; and to ignore
[10] the farming altogether. Such
[11] a step requires one of the chief
[12] objects of our being at Ankihtlast
[13] and indeed would open the whole
[14] matter again. It seems a pity
[15] after the long and careful consideration
[16] the committee gave to the subject
[17] that any matter of mere detail
[18] should be allowed to interfere
[19] with the general plan so clearly
Page 11
[1] approved of by the Committee,
[2] but I wish to prevent the
[3] possibility of any misunderstanding
[4] and to feel when once I
[5] resume work, if in God‘s good
[6] providence I am spared
[7] to do so, that I have the
[8] approval of the Committee
[9] to every step, and their earnest
[10] prayers for my success.
[11] I would wish respectfully
[12] to press upon you the need
[13] for a final decision in
[14] the land question before
[15] I sail as it will be necessary
Page 12
[1] for me while, in Victoria
[2] to see the head of the “Land
[3] and works department”
[4] on the subject.
[5] Enclosed please find the
[6] receipt for the passage
[7] money which I received all
[8] safe.
[9] Ever Yours Very Sincerely
[10] Robt Tomlinson
