IMMIGRATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1767, 4 June 1913, Page 8

IMMIGRATION.

LESSONS FROM CANADAo AUSTRALIA'S SYSTEM CRITICISED, Canada's practical methods of attracting the right class of immigrants wero brought into vivid contrast with those adopted bv Australia in an interview pub ished last week by the "Sydney Daily Iclcgrr.ph with Mr. N. Keith Bushell, who has just returned from a trip to' the Old Country. Mr. Bushell who has mado a close study of tho i m l migration question, is tho author of "Nm v Lands for Old" and "Australia for tho immigrant (officially approved by tho High Commissioner in London). "Tho British Immigration League, a branch of which ovists in Sydney, should prove an invaluable organisation," observed Mr. Bushell. "The scopo of tho league is bo teach tho prospective immigrant the numerous advantages that this oountry affords. Tho ignorance of Eng. lish people in regard to Australia ia amazim* Lot mo give you an instance. Mr.MGowen, on his last trip to Ensland, encountered a bi K London poliooman. Mr, ]\[ Gowen happened to tell the policeman that ho enmo from Australia. The man displayed a great deal ot interest m Australia, and Mr. M'Goven asked him why he did not come out, 'Oil,' replied tho policeman, 'I oould not get on with tho language. By-tho timo i could speak "Orstraiian" I'd bo an old man. i Information Wanted. "What prospective immigrants want to know 13 tho scopo for them on tho land in Australia. My experiences in England prove to mp_ that they know little or nothing of this, and little was being dono to tell them. In great contrast to tho Canadian immigration traffic, the agricultural labourer in England and tho .voung farmer with capital, both desirablo immigrants, 6eemed to bo missed by • tho Australian authorities. Chiefly amongst those who are coming out to Australia are undesirables, and by theso I mean men for whoso trade or nrofession there is not much demand. The result is that, after a short while, they return Homo disappointed and disgusted with Australia, and that is tho worst advertisement that tho Commonwealth gets. The British Immigration League prom, lses to do much in tho way of remedying this. In many parts of Scotland whole villages have emigrated bo Canada and thoro 19 no doubt that tho Canadian trovernmonts enterprise in tho way of showing- them their own chance on the land' has been the mean's of secur* ing both men and canital." A Fine System. Mr. Bushell described Canada's system, The _ various Canadian Government ofliccs in London, representing every State in tho Dominion, have," he explained, tho whole of their front windows filled with working models of farms and homesteads, showing first of all where a man can start work on tho landi and what ho can earn and save, takihg him'up gradually to tho position of experience ana capital. Then it goes on to show, him how ho can start again, this timo for himself, the land he can, take up, how tho Government assists him, the best industry for his particular area of laud and climate; so that, in. short, a man standing on the pavement and looking into the window is shown by practical models how he can make his living on the land, and prosper, in Canada. Tin's is in direct contrast to what is dono by Australia. The front windows of tho Australian offices are filled 1 with apples, pears, wheat, birds, and pictures of sunshine—all very well enough in their way, 110 doubt, but not enough to attract t'he practical Englishman. And between theso two contrasts Canada receives tho best class of immigrants, and Australia has to lie content with tho best of the remainder. Tho Australian representatives in London show people tho results of industry on tho land—pictures of farms and home, stearic, and fine'fruit that has been grown, but the essential point of how in sreure theso farms and homes is missed altogether." ■

Chances Not' Realised. In Mr. Bushell's opinion, the advantages and chances of life on tlio land in Australia are not realised amongst tlio people in tho agricultural districts of England. "Of course," ho emphasised, "the distance from England to Australia is so great that unless a definite scope for tlio man on tlio land is very clcarlv* shown him, ho will not risk emigrating and thero is no doubt that thousand* stay at homo on account of this' faery To go to Canada is only a matter of alouj 12 or 15 days, and if they do not like tin) country, they can easily go back again. What tho High Commissioner's ofiici is doing at Homo is not nearly sufficient, in view of the tremendous area to bo settled, and why Canada secures so many good men with capital is that Ehe makes such a groat specialty of tho chances there are on tho land.-: I would suggest, by way of improving things, that officials of tho High Commissioner's office in London should make a special campaign through, out Great Britain, exactly showing tho people tlio opportunities in the various landed industries of Australia. Perhaps tho most practical work dono in this direction by the High Commissioner's office in London is in tho form of lectures, but this, of course, is not enough. It is constantly being proved that immigrants who arrive in Australia decline to go up country, the reason of this being that they know little or nothing about country life. Ignorance of Australia. "What wo really want in Australia aro agricultural labourers and men with capital to talio up land. This ignorance of Australia is wry marked, and I had tunny personal instances of it. It is quite safe to say that the immigraut at tho ship's side jn London is just nsi far from tlio truth concerning Australia as lie is from his destination, and this particularly applies to his prospects on tho land out hero. Circulars and pamphle'ts are very inadequate. If a jnan wants to go to Australia they pilo himl up with papers intho High Commissioners Office, and ho gore away. Tho chances aro that t'nesa will tell him the price of wool and wheat, and furnish him with statistical information, but nothing is told him how ho personally can succeed on tho lnnd or tho facilities offering Jiim to gSt there. Tho success of tho Australian immigration office depends on a vigorous land campaign, showing the peoplo in England how a man with small capital can mako a homo for himself, tho means of getting on to thfc spot, without having to wait for. lnonllis in the city in anticipation of something turning np in Unit direction, wasting capital, enthusiasm, and timo which might lm more profitably spent in tilling tho soil. Shipping Arrangements. "Another important thing for tlicso peoplo is tlis shipping accommodation. I liavo gone into this aspect of tho question very carefully, and liavo talked with peoplo before they started, and on their arrival hero. On somo of tho boats tho Australian immigration traffic is ideal, but oil others thero is much that requires reml-dying. I would recommend that tlio. Government should take in> hand tho proper supervision of tho shipping arrangements for immigrants bound for Australia, for I feel certain that, tho Government cannot Us aware of tho conditions existing on some of these immigrant ships. Before wo can get the desirable farmer capitalist and the agricultural _ labourer from England tho present immigration arrangements will have to bo radically altered in order to attract tho right stamp of men."