IMPERIAL MIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 220, 11 June 1919, Page 7

IMPERIAL MIGRATION

BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S NEW POLICY

STATEMENT BY LORD MILNER

A significant change in,the attitude of the Colonial Office in particular aiid of the Government in general towards emigration from the United King'dom'to tho dominions -was indicated' raoently (savs the "Morning Post") by Viscount Milner . (Secretary for the Colonies) in an address delivered by fflhi at a meeting held iu the-Imperial Institute under the joint auspice's of the British Women's"Emigration Association, ' the South: African .Colonisation Society, and the Colonial Intelligence League,'"to consider the question of the migration of women of all olasses to the overseas dominion's." Lord Milner expressed the opinion, that the Government was bound to give more nc- ■ tive help and guidance than'it had.done in the past. There was a prejudice in eonie quarters against any' Government action in the matter, but he held that it was the'business of • Ministers to ■ help those ■of our people who were seeking' homes in other lands within the" 'Empire, not because we'wanted them to go'but because'Tlicy themselves wanted to go. No Stimulation of Emigration. "I may say at once (he.continued) that I think the Government ought to give a great deal more help and guidance: in this matter.than it.has done in .the past. I admit that thai-means spending a certain amount of money in this direction. (Cheers.). It might be only a drop in tne ocean, of; our national, expenditure now, but certainly.it would be a means of showing in a. practical way that all our professions On tho subject arc..'rather' .more than.pretty phrases.. (Hear, hear.) I know, there is a great' deal of:prejudice iii" some quarters against, tho ...Government assisting'emigration. It is:said that .we' have no business to stimulate 'emigration. That is. a complete; misapprehension of the position.". There 'is no question.here of stimulation at 'all. I .am . the last person in tho world to-drive men or women out. of this "'country; '/ We. don't want to do it and we don't :need to do .it.. lam satisfied that, our resources ore. sufficient to provide employment, for everybody . except .'.the. hopelessly lncjompetent or the, vicious, and to provide tlieiu with such, reniu neration as. shall' ensure to them,, a decent of living. If we fnil .to do so'it will be because we have muddled the business: (Hear, hear, and laughter.) I But quite apart from that aspect of tho' question there alwnvs ibas been, and I think there always will be, a.steady, flow from .this-,country to tho,new. lands,of the Empire of men and women who .want to 'go v there—(hear, hear)—who are]well fitted to go, and who, being well fiTte'd,.willdo welt in the new countries, and in ■ that' way really help the Old Country—(cheers)—although in an indirect manner." "The speaker' went on to say that there there were two ways in.which the Government could act; One was to .try lo direct this flow of emigration into the right channels, the other was, 16 mako such arrangements as would.ensure thatthe emigrants on arrival in their new homes should'have"'the best possible chance of success. ,With regard to tho 'first df these responsibilities it was their great [wish that the; men-and women who. thus ■ left : us • should ! ' devote their energies and abilities-to building-up new homes under tho British flag. If they were to he lost to us they must not be lost to the British ■ Empire. (Cheers,) They^could-not really be lost to us if they built up those great new communi. tles . Y- • Prosperity and (growth wero so intimately interwoven f ith our own prosperity—he might even say our existence. -(Hear, hear.) Apart from sentimental reasons, we had'the greatest possible interest in building'up the Doraii, ions. To put it on tho lowest ground, they were our beat customers in time of peace, as we-had also learnt to know by our experiences of .-the .last four or five years that they were our trnstiest Allies m time of danger," (Cheers., - ... Help for Settlers. _ /To1 attain thetwo objects-1 -havc'.men. honed,'/ 6aid' Lord Milner, "woviaust not only ■ direct omigratioii into the right channels,-'but provide judicious as-' sistance' to ■ the- individual- settler: One of the .first things necessary is:-that the Government of this - country and tho Governments of the Dominions '6hould work very-closely -and cordially , .together. I think we' shall accomplish that. (Cheers.)- ■•■ lam not sure that there has riot'been a certain amount of friction and misunderstanding ■ in- the past owing to the feeling on the part of the representatives of the Dominions that while they were very keen to get:good settlers, we were not quito so - anxious to help them. (Hear; hear.) ;,• Perhaps there -was a certain amount of justification for that feeling.. (Hear, hear.) But whateycr misunderstandings there may liaye been in the past, I may say 'that now wo aro in ft fair way towards removing 'them. Certainly, no rea'sonablo man shall have-occasion to say I am lukewarm.'V (Cheers.) . A resolution approving the work of tho Eocrtips represented at the meeting in with' the emigration' of women was moved., by Colonel John Buchan, seconded T>y Sir Gilbert Parker, supported by Colonel G. L.'Tory (Canada) and Mrs. GwynneVaugban (Commandant Women's Royal Air Force), and carried unanimously.