IMMIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 187, 4 May 1920, Page 8

IMMIGRATION

NEW ZEALAND'S ONLY CHANCE MEAGRE POPULATION MEANS MEAGRE DEFENCE Probably no one knows more about the economic effect of the migration of peoples or the national advantage of immigitttion to sparsely settled portions o? the Empire from those that are greatly overcrowded than Mr. T. Sedgwick, who, in a very modest but effective way, is doing a great Empire work the importance of which must sooner or later bo more generally recognised than it is today. Mr. Sedgwick lias during the last ten years been the means of settling many English lada in South Africa, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and is still as keen as ever on that branch oftho work, but sees that bigger things in migration must happen if the economic balance is to bo preserved within the Empire. Mr. Sedgwick, who left for Sydney on Saturday evening, discussed tho question of immigration most interestingly. ' "England," said Mr.. Sedgwick, "is the only European country, probably, that gained in population during the war, and her surplus population' is a growing one that must be distributed. iSot that England had not her losses. She lost 800,000 men in the war, but against that she retained 1,250,000 nien, who during that period would have emigrated. I should say that she gained a million and a half for her labour market, for during the war millions were spent on machinery, much of which could be adopted fox other purposes, so labour has gained in strength, whilst the need for it is not perhaps so acute. Another factor that has a bearing on the case is that the war has taught people in England what to do without. In a.biscuit factory I know in the Old Country two men were omployed in a certain part of the process, one to feed the strips of dough into the top of the machine, and one to keep it straight in the webbing a few feet below, The shortage of men had made it impossible to employ two men for this work, and it was found that one could do both jobs quite easily. Similarly, a, gentleman Iknow for. raerly employed ten gardeners to keep his place in order—now ho does with one man and a boy. True, the paths are not swept so often, and the hedges are not. perhaps so trimly cut, but otherwise, no harm has been done. In another instance two men servants were being paid to wait upun three people; now tlieso people scrape along with a paid boy and a parlourmaid.

Men Lost to New Zealand by War. "Now, you in New Zealand lost about 17,000 men; another 2000 took their discharge in England (anchored for the most by English wives), whilst those who are ill and maimed are thrown out of the account as producers; so that New Zealand is worse off than she generally supposes she is' on account of her war service, for at the same time, let it be remembered, she lost the 50,000 people she would normally have gained by immigration during the five years of war. So you will agree that the Dominion wants population. The Government knows it and is doing something to help. For instanco, the Government policy refepectiug' domestic immigrants is that they get their passage free, and a bonus of £2 as pocket, money, conditionally on their agreeing to take up domestic work for'a period of at least twelve months. Tin agreement is quite valueless, for no contract made in England is binding lh New Zealand. The foreign embassies in London are part and parcel of the nation they represent—tlw land on whicn tho French Embassy stands is a bit of France, and the Chinese Embassy is a bit of old China, but Australia House and the offices of the High Commissioner for New Zealand are in no wise parts of Australia or Now Zealand—no more than they are a part of Paris. I think that should be clearly understood in.order to get things right. Formerly only relatives wore able to nominate peoplts for the privilege oi reduced fares to (his country from Eng. land: now friends and relatives may nominate on paying such, reduced fare and making themselves responsible for the necessities of life on account of the lierson they aro nominating. That is perhaps the. best form of immigration, for the person nominated comes out with first-hand information regarding the country and its requirements as far as he is concerned, and no one is going to nominate' a person ho does not thoroughly believe in. Housing and Shipping. "There are two great troubles to contend with at present—housing and snipping. To overcome the housing difficulty the High Commissioner has been instructed to preference to those among the nominated who are sure of a roof from their friends or relatives who have nominated them, and to single females and males who can be absorbed in tho country as* rural workers. Tho Hhipping drawback is being partially met by tile cargo boats to New Zealand being fitted to carry immigrants on the voyage ont. Hitherto the domestic worker was one who had worked for wages before in England, but that would have to bo widened to the girl who has understudied her mother, the war widow, and domesticated girls who have perhaps led other forms of existence. Interesting among those is the war widow, usually with one or perhaps two children, who is drawing •n pension for herself and each of her children, a pension that is as easily payablo hero as in London. They are the most efficient of all domestic assistants, and in' New South Wales have been found the best suited for work . in tho backblocks. With their children about them they do not find themselves so lonely as the einglo girl dbes, thoy don't want to wander about of an evening, and if tho boss's wife wants to go off for tho woek-end, she leaves the home in capable hands, whilst if she is ill thero is always a competent nurse about, so that the war widow when transplanted ' becomes a colleague instead of a servant, mid has many points over the flapper. Secondly, there is the ex-war worker, especially the land girl, who baa learned to like a life in tho open, and is ho longer afraid of a bull or any. other animal. She is more adapted for the settled portions of tho country. I don't suggest her for work on the land, though she made eood at that work in some respects in England when the guns were firing.

"I find," continued Mr. Sedgwick, "that you here in New Zealand are sending Home large sums of money to support orphanages over there; but do you know that part of your money as being used to support—fl-011, you are sending money to the Bamardo Homes, and they have three branch orphanages in Canada. Why should the samo money not be retained in New Zealand to support a Barnardo Home in the Dominion. You might then get girl orphans of twelve and thirteen out from Home, train them in tho New Zealand institution, and then put them out to gain experience within a reasonable radius of the home. I say girls, for I think this country wants girls more than boys. New Zoaland Made by Immigration. "Most people have overlooked the fact that New Zealand was made by immigration. Eighty years ago anyone probably could have bought the whole place, lock, stock, and barrel for ,£50,000. Now you couldn't buy it for«J!l,000,flOOo 000. .Tt has ali come about through some 300,000 people coming out. from tho Old Country and propagating their species. Well, if that value has been created by such a course, doss it not stand to reason that if twice as many people had coroo the coun'cry would be twice as valuable? Owing to the scarcity of imputation, New Zealand is almost undefended. If your entire population woro strung out round your coast there would bo one person for every four and a half yards. Again, your railways could not carry your tiny army to the many thousand vulnqrnble points. You have novod made a shell or a- guu, and your factories are not adnpted to making them. Our Only Defence. "I beliove that the dofenco of New Zealand depends absolutely on her immigration policy, and I hope your Government will look to it whilst yet there ma; bo timo. You havo a 'beautiful ,r«fldj.. brokes in,, .richly.