IMMIGRATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 5

IMMIGRATION.

NATIONAL MOVEMENT URGED.

AUSTRALIAN PUNS.

Australia's immigration system is gradually being worked up to a pitch of efficiency, and olio of the men who has been most -active in conncction with the work is Mr. Percy Hunter, Director of tho New South Wales Immigration Bureau. Mr. Hunter has just returned from London and America io Sydney. in an interview with a Sydney "Herald" representative last week, ho explained that New South Wales and Victoria are now working together as far as the immigration campaign is concerned, and he is generally controlling tho immigration Departments of both States.

"The organisation for dealing with immigration in London is now on u thoroughly sound footing," Mr. Hunter stated. "The amalgamation which has been effected between Victoria and New South Wales will lead not only to considerable, savings in the charges involved in this work, but will also result in a material improvement in tho type of immigrant selected, and in tho methods of transportation. Up to now tho States have all been working moro or less in opposition, and this fact 'has had a detrimental effect npon their operations, and has also • greatly confused the public- mind in Great Britain concerning the Australian position. Tho fact that New South Wales and Victoria aro now located in one building in the Strand, and that their emigration work ;is being conducted by one staff on tho uniform basis, will, so far as 'these two States are concerned, entirely eliminate those objectionable features of t'ho business. The organisation is comprehensive enough now to increase largely the flow of immigration whenever it is expedient to do so,- but, of course, in arranging any sudden influx regard must always be had to tho state of tho labour market at this end and before any big increase can take place our immigration lorganisation in Australia must be more closely assimilated with that of Canada, which provides for landing and housing depots j and machinery right through tho provinces for caring for immigrants at spots close to the localities where their labour can be absorbed. The Example of Canada. "It cannot be expected that a big immigration movement can be conducted without involving temporary spasms of unemployment, and until Australia is prepared to face this position, and deal ■with these slight local unemployment troubles as they arise by .some effective machinery,'"it is idlo to talk of a big immigration policy comparable with that of 'Canada. A significant feature of the Canadian national life is tho fact that every section of the community is enthusiastically in favour of a big immigration policy, and one has only to travel that country and see the extraordinary strides made in the raw western districts, where the conditions of development aro practically on a par with those in Australia, the progress being almost entirely due to the influx of new settlers, to realiso that this enthusiasm of tho Canadian people is based on solid and lasting grounds. "In 1912 Australia gained by excess of immigration over emigration 87-,341 people. . This represented an incrpase of something like 14,000 over the previous year, and no less than 54,000 over 1910 ; but when the last year's gain of 83,000 is - contrasted with tho position in 1905, when Australia was actually losing people to the older countries, it will be seen that the new immigration'inovement has at last made a firm and solid start. I believe that tho truo prosperity of Australia is irrevocably bound up in this question-of population. Economic progress and self-preservation aliko aro dependent upon a satisfactory influx of desirable new denizens to assist in tho development of our unpeopled spaces, and every true 'Australian should endeavour to spread the_ gospel of the benefits of now population in an unpeopled country. It is only by unanimity on the part of tho community'that a successful peopling movement can bo carried put, and I am quite convinced that the great success of Canada is almost entirely due to this extraordinary unanimity on the part of her people. But as I have indicated, it is no use pouring .people into a new country unless tho territory is ready to absorb them profitably, and to this end steps must bo taken, if I it is desired that Australia should be peopled, to deal satisfactorily, with this side of the question.

' An Important problem. "The situation abroad is not without its difficulties. Immigrants of a suitable class are getting harder and harder to obtain. Rural workers are even now at a premium in Great Britain, and farmers aro experiencing difficulty in securing sufficient labour to handle their own work. This is largely due to tho fact that -tile depletion of the agricultural districts by colonial emigration has left the farms in many centres without sufficient labour, and it lias, been found necessary greatly to improve tho conditions under which these men were formerly working. In some districts thero is not much disparity now between the conditions in Great Britain and those offering in Australia, and, naturally, it is be,com-, ing a more difficult proposition to recruit what Australia wants —the really capablo and efficient, sturdy rural worker. "Tho other class of immigrant which Australia desires so much, and which is sucli a vital need in our social life, is the domestic servant, aiyl slio is even a shyer bird than tho agricultural labourer. However, the organisation established in London, with its branches and agencies throughout the United Kingdom, is now working on a sufficiently comprehensive basis to get tho people and shij) them to Australia. Apart from the assisted immigration, the person 'who pays his own fare and makes tho voyage unsolicited in tho majority of instances constitutes a very desirable addition to our population. In this department wo shall find a great falling off this year. This is largely due to the fact tl>it in Great Britain generally conditions industrially aro exceptionally good. Business is brisk everywhere, and consequently men aro disinclined to emigrate. At the ' same timo persistent endeavour has been made in some quarters to discount the opportunities which exist in Australia for newcomers, and Australia as a field for immigrants is for the moment in slight disfavour. This is, of courso, a purely temporary matter, and whenever the Australians caro to grapple with this problem in a really whole-hearted way, removing tho question from one of politics, and putting it on the plane of a national necessity, wo shall find tlib machinery ready to hand to supply all wants."