EMPIRE COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2005, 12 March 1914, Page 5

EMPIRE COMMISSION.

— « — iMffiGRAM NEEDS.

AN IMPORTANT REPORT,

"Tho trade position of Australia am! Now Zealand is remarkable, and, in some respects, unequalkd. Separated as these countries are from the rest of tho world by an immense expait.se of ecean, and divided as they are from the principal markets to which they send thou- products, ond. from which they chaw their supplies, by half the circumference of the earth, they have developed nil external trade which, measured at tho amount- per inhabitant, ranks with that of tho oldest, the richest, and the most commercial countries of the world."

this glowing testimony to tho commercial progress of Australasia is given in_ the second interim report of the Dominion* Royal Commission, summaries ■of which were published in our cable news a few weeks ago. Tho' statement of tho commission is supported by the following interesting table, which compares the oversea trade per head of papulation of the Commonwealth and New Zealand with that of certain other countries. Tiro total, vimpi-ises both imports and -es t xirts «if lire year 1012, and includes bullion and specie:—

Estimated population at Total trade, ojittdjc per at year, amonjit, head, Countries. Millions. Million £ £ Sew Zealand 1.1 «L 8 39.3 Austfttlia 4.6 557.3 m United kingdom ... 45.6 1,<77.9 ' 323 Canada- 7,5 J25.6 ti.l Argentine IA m\ 5,1' Ffonoc 39.? 603,5 20;3 Germany £8.3 1,«6.4 li.A hoirth Africa 6.7 105.1 15.4 tinted Stated 95.4 545.5 9.9 "That so grest- a trade," remark tho Commissioners, "should ham boon created under such gnograpliical conditions is a striking proof of tire energy, industry, and commercial ability of the pec-pie concerned. Tho dependence of countries so situated upon shipping facilities and upon equitable treatment m tho -matter of -freights, caimot be kept too clearly in view."

Migration problems. After ostablblimg t] !o proposition that for a.long time to como a-nv in-creaso m the oyem-a. trade of Australia and flow Ae-atad must depend on the further expansion of their primary production, tho Coninii-ssiflnm point' out that me proportion of the male b.ravd-wkiner-s who are primary producers shows a tendency to remain, constant, or even to decrease. In tho opinion of tho Commissioners, the facts "point clearly to too importance of immigration as a,"'factor m tins fin-flier development of Australasia, ' Indeed, they g Q further, and express tho view that-It is reasonable to arguo "that tho largo share of the Mother Country in tho trctilo of Australasia indicates that it is ih the direct interest m tho United Kingdom merchant and mafittfaotaOT that tho population or tho Dominions (and here; of course wo spsak particularly of Australasia), -, should b B "devehipsd by an adequate supply of immigrants. ■;.'■-. ,*, ty ita P art t'roai tho oneston or the external trade of tho 'United Kingdom there arc other and import, ant considerations hearing -on tho prolr- "??,-.. ".? aro impressed with tho desiraljiity that as largo a portion as possible of tho British Dominions should bo cceujned by a population whiq-h would assist in the dewfmnneiit of 'their primary resources, Wo cannot forget' that S«cn development is of mom-wit to tho Wilier. Country,also.- which is aiwi-dy .dcijpjutent a considerable, -proportion of her '«ip : plics of food and r raw material,"

throe Desiderata. _At the outset of-an exhaustive dismission of>.-tho immigration problem tho ■uoni-nuasiijii emphasises three needs— youth, adaptability, 'and. settlement cm the-land. On'., the- first point they remark: "Compared with tlje tirgGiisy ol youth, it is largely immaterial whether theisr origin is, from town o,r country and what their previous occupation lias been. Whether boys' should canto to Australasia- before the ago of U or 16 without their parents is a- question, on which various answers were given. Once they have, reached 10, and until the',' are 24, lb was generally agreed;©rot they are mghly desirable immigrants," Nest to youth, tho Commission place adaptability as the quality mast ueede9. "Tire conditions in tha QM Country," they state, "differ from;' those of tlio Dominions. Particularly tins agricultural groove of Australa/Suv is met that of the United Kingdom. Tho seasons, the climate, the variety of work, tho amount of land -clearag fe> be done perplex the newcomer. And he-re it should bo ailed that- this jcquironoewt of adaptability is, Wo believe, most frofluently to bo found amongst those •comHig .from the towns. The. tarn-bred man, still more this town-bred youth, often finds his feat more quickly 'in his new SDciai conditions and environment than tloes tho rustic. Tlio States of New South Watern>ul Victoria have both experimented, ivith . good Jesuits, m bringing out lads from the towns. South Australia, wo understand, is now following their example.. <And tho lads sent out to ??ew Zealand under tho auspices of Mr. T. E. Sedgwick—to whose success witnesses in the Domiirioiis testified —all came frota the towns."

Tiie -migration of this class of settler would, the Commission Urges, be a gain for both tho Mother Country and ,tho Dominion. i! Tha problem of finding suitable work for these youths," they state, "and opening up for them hopeful avenues of employment lias perplexed the authorities in the, Mother Country for eevertl years, ft sppeafs to- us that Australki and Nsw Zealand ate likely to afford n satisfactory solution of the problem at no great cost.. Similarly both requirements are mei-'-suhjeet to the restrictions Hecessitiitod b.y the need for careful selection —by youths from industrial scljools and other e'stalilisluMesits of the same kind." .

The commission emphatically agree with tho view that Government action in oncouraa.it!.g migration should bo (limbed to introduction of those who will become .primary producers. Bvit they Bud: "Wo ivottld' repeat that tvp have ftofc fovuid in tho evidence- which w« have taken, cither in the United Kingdom @f in Australasia, cflitfiriiiation of tlw current opinion that only those who have fallowed agriculture tn the Old Country can bo expected-to become sus-ce-ssful agriculturists in the new," Hostility to Migration-, Discussing; the feeling in Labour circles against- assisted migration, which the commission found d'ui-rug their visit, they remark; "We believe that this ferfinp; of hostility arises mainly from the present defects of the munieratiou system, and we are convinced that- it tvo-uid disappear if fldqup.to preeautimis wore taken to confine Gowrnm«nt nssistaiaco to persons fulfilling tbo reittiiretne-uts we linns already indicated, and if effective aid were extended to enable them to settle on the laud.

"When primary production has teen satisfactorily developed, the requisite, number of artisans rriny'be Irft to coine put at thflir own cost, or with tile assistanro of friends, attracted by tiro good eondi'tioi-19 and the? high roniune-r-atkm of labour.",

Tho coinmisSKKi strongly stippo-H tho need for the migration of domestic servants, and for Turtbcr trainini*, but express caution in regard to the expedi-on-t'y of family They answer emphatically in tho negative the r}nostkn'i whether l-lie present ratyditions of emigrnlion ere s'icli na to givft- a reasonable chance of tbo proper materia]

for each Dominion being chosen to the exclusion of the unfit. "The whole or* gnnisation," they report, "for the sale of sloornjje tickets and the main organised work of recruiting Is in the. hands of passage brokers; or, rather, of the agents whom they appoint. In other words, the-primary machinery for migration ia in the hands of men who have little concern with tha personal suitability of the intending emigrant, whose profits depend .upon the commission which they receive, and who arc selected and employed by the shipping companies, whose interest it is to carry as largo a tmiiihor of emigrants us possible." T)u» commission have deferred their considered recommendations on this matter, Meanwhile they express the view that "in view of the'iininonso importance of migration to the development of the Empire, both commercially and politically, ad-equate Gora-tuneut attention in not now devoted to the subject of selection in tin? Mother Country, matters swing krfsely left to chance.""