"EMIGRATION MANIA."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1974, 3 February 1914, Page 5

"EMIGRATION MANIA."

THE FLIGHT FROM ENGLAND. HOW VILLAGES ARE ThInNINC OUT. •Striking confirmation of the flight of labour from rural districts in England muM\ ales is contained in a British iJoard of Agriculture report issued in December.. ■ . The report is based on inquiries made at the request of the Dominions Boyal Commission, : and information has been received irotn'-iBS correspondents in the conn ties. They -report extensive em igracion, especially to Canada, of young pcoplo hampered by tho lack of opportunity in rural and agricultural centres and attracted by tho prospect of greater freedom, better wages and conditions in the oversea Dominions. The dearth or cottages is a contributory cause, but that most generally mentioned is "tho activity of emigration agents in advertising the allurements, of colonial life," which appeal to ,a generation which has become accustomed to the modern disregard of distance. in, Oxford, Berkshire, w-n 01 } , . VOiwall, Somerset,. Dorset, \\iltshue, andi Hampshire consider that the. tendency.of labourers to emigrate has increased- since the passing of the Insurance Act. Some refer to the movement as an-"emigration mania." Among special iustances is 'quoted'the case.of a: troop of twenty-one in the East Kiding, (lorks) Yeomanry. Eleven of the troop, aged from nineteen to twenty-two, are now doing well in Canada. Another' correspondent speaks of eight married and twenty-two smglo men who 'had left six East Kiding villages in the past few years'. A cricket club lias lost twelve members by migration since last year. From the xUarket Drayton (Shropshire) district 60 men emigrated during the year ended last JulyL."A farmer's son went to Canada and earned £3 a week as a train-way-car conductor.

Christmas Visitor's "Cetch." There are many cases where letters irom emigrants or holiday visits from prosperous emigrants have attracted others. Two. farmer's sons went from bouth Nottingham:to.Canada. -Subsequently the farmer himself followed with the rest of his family. From Mid-Wor-cester a family and four young men went to Canada, with-a man who had come homo for Christmas.' ■ A -correspondent at Stnlham, NorthBast. Norfolk, mentions a batch of 32 strong;young men, many taken from regular, jobs,, who have emigrated to Oanada. Ho comments on the insufficiency of houses for young married people.' .A draper's assistant who went from West Cambridge.to Canada.as a carpenter, returned for a holiday and reported himself as getting £5" a week. In Bedford ."objection to Sunday work" is given as.one. cause of emigration. From the Buckingham district a wagoner and his family, whoso weekly wage ; at 18s., rent free;,a vil-. lage carrier with two sons; and a village carpenter and.his family have gone to Canada. ■'■...'■• The flight from the western counties has .'thinned many village?. A Truro district correspondent has' , personal knowledgcT of .1504 cases of emigration from Cornwall in six weeks. Some-hun-dreds went from North Devon in the spring. 'Several young men from North S'omersot returned from Canada,' "finding the life too hard.". From Poolo (Dorset). Station over 200 families have departed for Canada since the beginning of,the year. " ' ';'

'. From'the'"Canterbury 'district "iiea'rly 1 300 people' arc reported to have 'gone abroad last year. In South-East Kent a farmer of 300 acres with his family and friends mado up a party of twenty for Western ■Australia.'. ■,•- . :•.;;":':