EMPTY AUSTRALIA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 5

EMPTY AUSTRALIA.

THE SWEDISH CONSUL'S WARNING RESENTED. ! ;PREMTJ3R ,WADE IN: ANSWER. l By Telegraph—Press Association—Oonyricht. ' • . ! . Sydney, -February 10. The State Premier, (Mr. Wade) has inado a statement in regard to the notices published, in ■ the j.-.Swedish newspapers, on. tho authority, of Count '.Mbrner, Swedish : Consui-General! at Sydney, warning intending emigrants' against proceeding to'.. Australia' and New Zealand; on account of the difficulty of ..obtaining! eriiployinent. l [ . -~ : ... !!.' : .' /Not True as Regards Government. • Mr..-Wade'says he. is much; surprised at the statement, as. reference, to the Immigration Bureau shows not only that every immigrant brought out under State assistance • was offered employment without delay, but for months past there had beena demand for immigrants largely in excess' of the supply.- {.V ;.vThe..Government, Mr.! Wade says,;has. had to.bear the Burdens of mistakes made, by privately-directed organisations which attempt-.fa''carry .out the larger and more difficult work of actually finding work for immigrants, but, which,- through: want of .proper- Machinery and. .experience, ..at, | times fail 1 to place:their, men.;. ■!■..:: >■ < .'The Premier".trusts that Count Mornbr will : correct ,the . impression -he. \ni L created. ..As far .as: the Government is concerned, it is scarcely accurate, and is likely. to do harm to -a movement that, ought to be encouraged.! . v-!: Reasonable .Truth." !:. The. "Sydney 'Morning Herald," commenting; on. the Consul-General's warning, says:—"Count .Morner must: not,be, surprised, if his. advertisement of 'Aus- ■! tralia as a good land to stay away from leads to some plain' speaking. '-'.'.Probably.'he',.hasVrio doubt as .to' the policy that the Swedish Consul should pursue, and he may, declare that he is responsible to nobody but,his Government-., but there is such a. thing.as truth—rounded, reasonable "truth—which every man in public or! private ..life, is .expected -to recognise! and observe.!. ! -' -■-.'-.

.'.'To, send to Swedeh/a copy.of a speech by'.Mr.' Holman attacking;'.the Govern-., ment of this State;, and to let. it be' inferred -that;it contains'; the: whole ■ .truth about; Australia, "is surely'''to forget- the' alphabet .of "fair-play and.hbnest 'dealing;'. .'- "Count-Morner,is' not ,an ignoramus. He has lived among us long enough'-to 'unde'rstand 7 something of our politics, and he 'must know very well that Mr/ Hoi-', man, in his.capacity as Deputy-Leader/bf. the,. Opposition, ,'does not makp; speeches thatV; are .-.' dispassionate ( : and perfectly - balanced.:. "To. send 'to Sweden.statements' f of i;members,-of; the .''Labour '". Opposition .without at least / offsetting. them, 'by the Governmentdefence, is either carelessness, or deception.' /,> v. :// '-.-.- :.:,;'.;

;;;;:?Wo can quite understand the Consul's point \of. yiewj" continues the 'Herald.?:, ''So.does, not .'want, agriculturists;to.leave .Sweden.'.because'they. are,as.badly.wanted there', help, his Government in keeping /this.-desirable class at home ho has'' thought/ it; fair to give' Australia .a.bai}.name, though. the: Commonwealth': te/qp/ite. good enough; to' : provide,' him with ■■ a, ..vocation '■ / and 'something : in' the' shape of a' l pedestal."- :; '''i-'<;■''''.:-;'/;.:'."',■

.r-iv vßeport of' Labour' Bureau. ':■". V.(■; >';.,Tlie /' report .of/; the;, V Labour '■ ■ bureau shows;.that during' January there .was .a great deal., of unemployment in the city, owing- to the' strike.;.,;-In the , country," however, conditions' generally ..were satis:f actqryv There were-over/2500 out of■ work iin itbe industrial trades,- .while., many :sea-, meniwe're'but of: a'berthV : ,; ; : 'y;. V. '

FEDEEAL AND VICTOEIAN DENIALS.

-• -v.'-, ; .\. :., ; Melbourne,February. ;lo;. '■ '•; Sir Robert Best, v Minister < for : interviewed./denied/that there-was any need for Count;':M6rner; or .anybody else, .to .warn' intending.' emigrants', against proceeding/ to/Australia/ or;./New.-'Zealand; , There/was,.; the .Minister -declared, ample room: and. plenty of opportunities for suitable men to-make.a Jiving,in Australia, particularly.'as agriculturists.;' Thero'.was room not for, hundreds, but for.thousands, of the right'type." ■■•' /;'•;'■; ■:.■'. ' -The State,. Premier > /(Hp'nil / Mr; -Mur-" ray);did not-think, the'warning applied, to, Victoria. .'..Probably: the ..'Consul had' New South;-. Wales'iri/view. Certain"meri/'no doubt,;. found : ;:difficulty; insetting-work-when.. they: came, but they would ■ probably ; havo the same: difficulty in: any &her' part of-tho world.:;: He knew no class ; than;Nor,wegiansand Swedes, as they were -willing' to/go,into; the .bush arid.do hard pioneering work//":/; ,/:■■/;, //.■,;■; ;// CONSU LS/ IN; R EPL \;'MI . .. :'M for certain '://;/A////CLASSES/.;/•//!■ ;''-,•/„ i /(Rec; 7.45 p.m.) ' /V, ; Syc -Februdry io.': '- v panish.-Consul;:and Count Morrier both, state ;aat.;neith 6 r:; Denmark- nor .Sweden,'can ; :spare emigrants, though they; dp> send': emigrants of .other classes^nd. and it difficult'to;place them. Both the Swedish and the Danish officialwarnings are 'due::to",,Count.Morner' send-' jng a clipping from; a .;l n 6wspaper of- Mr' Holman's speech; on .immigration: policy at Newcastle ;in.November lasti- ■ : ■'"■" :_ The; Dai4sh..'Consu^.interviewed,'sdid ne fought the .announcement 'by his Governments dubio- the. statement published; m the/Swedish paper's. ' -In- a i . r y!i h J S - G , oTe^mmt in;lf ay last,he :,?ta ed that,,with:the, ? iception of servants' and agricultui'al-labourers,- the conditions here. >vero ; such;_that, the; Consulate absolu W: advises ■ against emigration.' Danish ;,wpmen..who .are workvas:seW .vants can, always/find something to : do.the pay.is good,,but the work is hard' As for, malo .emigrants, only agricultural, .labourers who -can .stand hard work are or people without : a .trade,-. Australia: is'. the last place>' comejo. businesses .and.offices are all filled with.the country's own, people, and it'is-most" difficult'for foreigners : to : find employment.. : ' /Count Morner state's'that most' of the Swedes who ;come', hero are looking for city • pqsit'ons,. and .ho has ' had the greatest'difficulty ..in, finding work -for them. /Some, .he been sent Off; America. /put of a large number who had applied to him,: he had only found work for three,- and these in menial positions below their accomplishments, leople had been deceived by couleur do rosß.schcmes. Tho Government wbuld not help them because the men were not assisted, immigrants. Sometimes work-was' l offered up-country,,but he was asked to pay the immigrant's fare there. It would bea good thing if tho Government gave freo,passes to such as.found work in the country, or even lent the money for their fares. Many of these men had spent everything'they had in getting here. It was easy to say.there was plenty :of work; the best' way to prove'it was for tho Government: or private persons to help.him to'.find'-work for theso immigrants.' A:farmer with money could get on splendidly here/but so" he could in Swoden. Ho (Count Morner) had-sent ■'to Sweden a. cutting of Mr. Holman's speech, with a request that it would bo handed to the Swedish Anti-Emigration Society. •