CANADIAN SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 238, 8 October 1928, Page 9

CANADIAN SETTLEMENT.

I<ORl> IiOVAT'S TOUR.

enthusiastic RECEPTION.

Interviewed on board the Niagara, Lord Lovat said he had completed an interesting tour of Canada and had conferred" with the Federal and provincial Governments and the voluntary societies interested in immigration, and he had found that there was nfuch enthusiasm in the Idea of increasing the amount of British settlement. The results of _ his investigations- and recommendations were mow being' discussed in Great Brittain. He had made special visits to two large areas in Ontario, where big developments were now taking place, especially in what was known as the clay beji» a great area of land which was now beginning to come into cultivation and which was covered by spruce. An industry had been commenced for converting the spruce into pulp and the land was beifig prepared for settlement. He had also travelled the Peace River district, which included a considerable portion of Alberta and, British Columbia, including Vancouver Island. It was now his duty to make a tour of New Zealand and Australia, and he hoped that his investigations would not occupy more than six weeks.

"It imist be deafly understood," sai< Lord Lovat, "that I am acting entirely inside the Overseas Settlement Act." This was in. reply to a query whether the British Government' were prepared to go as far. as subsidising the overseas Dominions in order to get rid of its surplus population. 'It. is a matter of fifty-fifty," said his iordship, "under the Act which was passed in 1922." Speaking of the harvesters who had been sent to Canada to help gather the enormous crop of this season, Lord Lovat said that there had been over 8000 men sent out, and 7500 of them were still in Canada. These men were specially sent for harvesting work, but he was gladto say that many of them were finding winter work, and would remain in the country. The arrangements; were made ty the r!a.nitHtn.T» Government. Of course, as in all such schemes, thfete had been a few found unsuitable,, while a small proportion had been discovered to be "red." They were not suitable: oh account of labour troubles. A few 'had been found unsuitable for country life and had bften sent back.

In further discussing the Empire settlement scheme, Lord Lovat pointed out that what was aimed at was to procure immigrants who could adapt themselves to the country to which they were sent. "What effect has this immigration on the labour market generally ?" was a question put to Lord Lovat. "There is no reason why it should congest the labour market," was his reply. "New jobs are found and new openings are created by the very fact of the number of men coming into the country." As far as the harvesters were concerned, the majority were single men and were brought out for a specific purpose.

Ottawa Cable Inaccurate. Questioned in regard to the cable appearing in another part of this issue, and originating in Ottawa, in which it is stated that the Canadian Immigration Department is considering a proposal by the British Government for the settlement of 20,000 British families on Canadian farms, Lord Lovat said he had not seen the cable. When this was handed to him he read it through and remarked: "It is all wrong. It is inaccurate throughout. There is no authority for it, and I cannot comment on it* as it is under discussion together with a whole range of British emigration problems at the present time." Lord Lovat also declined to comment upon a recent statement of the New Zealand Minister for Lands, who had suggested that the Empire settlement scheme should be made introspective as far as it might concern immigrants who had already arrived in New Zealand.

The cable referred to reads as follows: OTTAWA, October 7. The Canadian Department of Immigration is considering a proposal made by the British Government for the settlement of 20,000 British families on Canadian farms in a period of 20 years. It is understood that the scheme proposed is based on recommendations made by Lord Lovat as a result of his recent visit, when he conferred with the immigration officials. It is stated that the proposal is that the prospective settlers shall be required to possess agricultural training and that 5000 cottages shall be provided for them until they shall have accumu- | lated a small amount of savings and acquired Canadian farm experience. Then the migrants would be provided with farms for which they would be expected to pay in a period of 30 years, the interest rate being 6 per cent. The Canadian Government would issue land bonds at 4£ or 5 per cent interest, the bonds to be secured upon the-land, which would be purchased for resale to the settlers. These bonds would be by the British Government as to principal and interest. The Minister of immigration, Mr. Robert Forke, is now in Western Canada, and there is no official confirmation of the proposal, but it is, sug: gested that he may place it before the provincial Premiers.