LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

JMMIGRATION. Sir,—Members of Parliament ami employers of labour in the Homeland are realising that much of the capable labour of the United Kingdom lias migrated to tho overseas Dominions. Scotland and Ireland havo lost almost. two-thirds of their population, and England a large proportion, including much skilled artisan labour. And wliilo all recognise that it is well for tho parent lands, and well for the colonics that the congested districts of tho former should he relieved of their surplus population, tlio desires of both are to somo extent conflicting, inasmuch as tho overseas Dominions desiro through their agents to selcct the best of tho labour class, while tho Homeland could better spare its untrained labour of both sexes. It has become necessary, therefore, that some understanding should bo reached, and it is to ho hoped cnat Itiu entire cuntrol of emigration will bo taken in hand at an early date by the Imperial authorities; when the result will no doubt be, that a mixed Board of Control, including High Commissioners of tiio overseas Dominipns. will be appointed to elaborate a satisfactory system. Tlio Imperial Trade Commission has recently informed us that we cannot obtain the trained labour we require; that in the United Kingdom there is a shortago of farm labourers; a difficulty in retaining trained domestics and skilled factory hands; and that in consequence wo cannot expect to obtain tho class of immigrants we desiro. . Indeed, this is quite evident, as many of the immigrants arriving in the Dominion know little or nothing of the class of work which they being sent out to perform, ami tho question begins to present itself, whether, sooner or later, this Dominion will not bo compelled to look to the hardy northern races of Europe for the agricultural and domestic help which it appears wo cannot obtain from our own Homeland.

Somo strange and inconsistent statements were made before the Commission; ami it did nut require a very searching cross-examination to expose the many inaccuracies and improbabilities advanced, by some of those called to speak; and the fact that 110 properly organised system of immigration, to obtain the increase of population necessary in the Dominion, had ever been attempted—and the reason why—was amply demonstrated in the cross-examination of Mr. Edward Tregear, late Secretary of the Labour Department. i But notwithstanding all that has been said.as to the difficulty in obtaining the accessary immigration of labour into tho Domiiiion, the question can bo Teduced to the offering of sufficient inducements. But tho inducements offered must be something more tangiblo and material than a fine elimnto and beautiful scenery. Wo may not bo üblo to olFor IGO acres of laud, half of it fenced and under cultivation, with crops ready to gather in, and a homestead ready for occupation, as Canada has recently been offering, and which Victoria (Australia) is contemplating to offer, but wo should bo ablo to offer laud in smaller quantities, and ensure tho possibility of tho agricultural immigrant being .able to settle upon il at once after arrival, instead of Slaving to wait the off-chance of an infrequent ballot* .AVe could provido. cottage tenements with small allotments of land in agricultural districts for farm labourers, and we ought also to do as Canada, South Africa, and Argentina have done, i.e., receive our immigrants hospitably, and provide accommodation, at tho port of debarkation until occupation lias been found for them And, in the case of girls and unmarried women, wo can ass urn their relatives and friends in tho Homeland that they will bo protected and cared lor from tho time of being accepted by our High Commissioner in London until they arrive at the hostels approved by tho Government (waiting them at their destinations; for, notwithstanding tho Honourable the Minister's reported contention, wo hero in Auckland fear that whatever may be t.lio arrangements just recently made by ilio Government, tno care of girl immigrants lias not. hitherto been satisfactory; Jo much so that residents in tho Dominion, have hesitated to advise their relatives and friends in the Homeland to let their children emigrate to a country 16,000 miles over seas. Unfortunately, cases have recently been reported in tho. press placing beyond all doubt the risks unprotected girls run in emigrating to these far over-seas lands; and every world wanderer is ablo to verify such press reports from his own experience. Indeed, the dangers surrounding unprotected girls when travelling overseas is au old story now, and these dangers are accentuated when girls have to travel so far as Australasia. It is therefore necessary that the Government of this Dominion should view this phase of their immigration policy very seriously. , The climatic, scenic, and other natural advantages of residence in this Dominion are so great, compared with Canada and South Africa, that, if truthfully brought to the knowledge cf the people in, the United Kingdom by our High Commissioner, there is little reason to doubt thai a desirable' class of immigrants will bo attracted, but it will be necessary also to advertise the fact that female emigrants will be carefully looked after during their journey to New- Zealand, and that liostelries will be provided at tho port of debarkation, where Government supervision will continue until the girls are provided with employment. Wo understand there are in Great Britain some sixty or seventy societies whoso object is to assist emigration; and a large number of London and provincial emigration and shipping agencies. > In tho former ara included the British Women's Emigration Association, tho Colonial Intelligence League (for educated wonien), the Scottish-Colonisation Society, and various associations for the training of young 1 people of 'both sexes, who liavo finished their school education, for colonial life. So it ought not, to be difficult for the newly-created sub-Department for Immigration, in conjunction with ' the High Commissioner in London—when they havo evolved both au emigration and ail immigration policy—to establish connection with tho most desirable of those associations. In-addition to these may be mentioned Mr. Thomas Sedgewick, "and the large London and provincial parochial schools, which undoubtedly will bo found our most satisfactory sources of supp'fy, as they provido for the young who will more readily accommodate themselves to tho habits and customs of our colonial social life; and, although this j» called "God's Own Country" and "Tho Workman's Paradise," the manners and ■ customs, as well as tho English speech of our rising and coming generation well might l>o improved- by importing a few hundreds of tho excess million of women in Great Britain, if care be taken to obtain them through the Colonial Intelligence League (for Educated Women), or oilier such women's associations which are training women for colonial life, Many of these women have means of their own, and batches of them are emigrating to Canada, and are doing well as poultry and fruit farmers.

Of course, it is beyond doubt that many of tho undesirable immigrants who arrive in tho Dominion, including a few poor souls far advanced in incurable disease, have come to the Dominion at their own or their friends' expense. But • surely tho High Commissioner has tho power to have every passenger for New Zealand medically examined, and if ho has, how is it so many ne'er-do-wells and physical wrecks are passed as fit to emigrate? As inducements to emigrate—in addition to advertising tho natural advantages of New Zealand by means of illustrated lectures, and theuso of tho press, full information of the possibilities of being able to obtain allotments of laud for dairy, poultry, or fruit farms, tho certainty of obtaining employment in our various industries, etc., it might improve the quality of our immigrants if, in advertising, tho High Commissioner made specific mention of the industrial wants of the Dominion, and notified that every applicant for an assisted passage, nnil each applicant desirous of obtaining land, should bo able to present a reference to some reliable authority before their applications can be considered. To render this idea workable, it will be necessary that employers' wants in tho Dominion should be cabled to the Chief Commissioner's oliicc in London every month.

Lastly, Ih.o obtaining of a good supply of desirable emigrants (main and female) from the agricultural, manufacturing, anil oilier inrlii.-i.riul ili.-tricls of I ho United Kingdom, can only In-obtained i.y ending men into these districts who are' uot only

thoroughly reliable agents but who themselves have actual experience of New Zealand life and conditions—AVo are, etc., D. 11. LUSK, Provincial President N.Z. Farmers' Union. SYD. ,T. HAIiBUTT, _ President Auckland Provincial Industrial. Association. D. GOLDIE, ■President Employers' Association, C. A. YOUNG, Chairman of Committee, Overseas Club. Auckland, May 3, 1913.