RECEPTION OF IMMIGRANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 8

RECEPTION OF IMMIGRANTS.

A NEW SYSTEM SUGGESTED. ■- ■ i ■ (By Tolezr&nh.—Prcs» A«eociation.) ■ Auckland, March 14. : ' 'At the Imperial Trade Commission to. day, Mr. Edwin Hall; who for a. number of years was secretary of the Agricultural Association, and has a unique' Knowledge ■ of matters pertaining, to land, was examined at considerable length. Ho first spoke of the serious shortage of' farm labour in tho Dominion. Mr. Hall gayo ■ instances of settlers having to sell their farms on account of not being able to secure sufficient labour. ' He "pointed out how this shortage was reducing the,output of tho Dominion, and reducing tho purchasing power of New Zealand buyers of British goods. , Mr. Hall mentioned that owing to tli« shortage, cocksfoot seed was going to #, waste, the growth' of cereals was rcduoed, and dessert canning works had been stopped. The development of the> dairying i industry had also been retarded, and but ' for the introduction of milking njachraes aud separators it would have been mi- • practicable to carry on. this profitable work so extensively as it was. In accounting for this deplorable shortage of men, Mr. Hall pointed out tlikt tliriity men were buyiug farms, Other causes operating were the fact that the difficulty married country workers met in securing . suitable accommodation led to employment of singlo men, the high j rates of wages ruling in the towns, and the wci;easing dernaud in tho towns for tlio . handling of primary, products. Dealing • with tho wages question, Mr. Hall said ho was satisfied that competent mdusi trious farm labourers could in New Zea- • land earn at least double the wages they i were paid in England. Ho thought that > if tho tremendous opportumticsfor a man • willing to work were more generally : known in England, much could bo done , iu alleviating some of the distress'arising , ■ from unemployment in England by bring--1 in" numbers of/them in contact A\ith tho • healthful plenty of New Zealand. In conclusion, he said: I havo long felt tho ■ necessity of a Government receiving and- ! training farm, where town-bred _ persona ; might go on arrival in the Dominion, and' , stay for a short time. They could ba, * ■ taught to milk, to groom and harness horses, to drive, and to _ plough. Tho i manager of the farm would always have , a list of situations vacant, where lfarherd . i could be drafted as they wore fit.. It. . would not take long to teach, them enough i to m'ako them useful as beginners. They, would get board, but no wages. while , oiv tho Government farm. Ihcy oould finish their education while working for farm- - ; ers. Wo could all do with help, and it ; would be a fine thing for emigrants them- . i selves to bo met on board ship b}. on i officer of tho farm, and taken 6tr WWj .- away to'' tho receiving depot. As it is i now, no one meets immigrants. 1 hey, . go ashore and find their way to tho La- ; bour Donot