EMPIRE MIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 101, 23 January 1935, Page 9

EMPIRE MIGRATION

Mr. Malcolm MacDonald to Report DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Londou, January 21. Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, Dominions Under-Secretary, is returning by . the Rangitane to-morrow after his visit to Australia and New Zealand. Shortly after his return he will have a conference with the Dominions Office in connection with migration and Dominions affairs. The chief interest centres in migration, following Mr. Neville Chamberlain's speech on January IS, in which he said that although emigration was unlikely to reach the previous level, no doubt the demand to settle new areas in the Dominions would be revived. “The Government eagerly awaits the Dominions’ ami Colonies’ observations on the committee's report.” Mr. Malcolm MacDonald will report to the Government on the Australian and New Zealand attitude to migration. The New Zealand High Commissioner, Sir James Parr, in conformity with the policy of increased tourist publicity, went to Brighton at the weekend to view an exhibition in which New Zealand is participating. Sir •Tames was a guest at a Mayoral luncheon. COMMITTEE’S REPORT Main Recommendations The main recommendations in the report of the committee referred to.in the above message have been summarised as follow : The United Kingdom Government should only assist migration when conditions are favourable to satisfactory settlement and when the overseas Governments are prepared to receive new migrants and to join in the arrangements necessary to give them a real prospect of success. The financial burden of any assistance should be equitably shared between the United Kingdom and the Dominions. The Empire Settlement Act, 1922. should be amended so as to allow the United Kingdom Government to provide up to 75 per cent, of the necessary cost of the migration work of approved voluntary organisations. 'The Overseas Settlement Committee as at present constituted should be replaced by two advisory bodies and the formation of local migration committees should oe encouraged. Subject to exceptions the United Kingdom Government should discontinue the policy of providing capital for land settlement'. and no special assistance should be given to schemes for group settlement. Where, however, land settlement prospects are favourable but migrants are unable to obtain capital on economic terms, tiie United Kingdom Government should be prepared to consider the possibility of the loan to a suitable institution, preferably a government agricultural bunk or a co-operative batik, of additional capital for this purpose on a pound for pound basis with the local Governments. The United Kingdom Government should provide assistance within certain limits toward general reduced passage rates to the Dominions. Every endeavour should be made to encourage the nomination system and to arrange with the Canadian Government for its extension to all categories of migrants. Passage loans should be made available for those nominated migrants who cannot afford to pay the full nominated rate. Tiie Canadian Government should be approached with a view to considering the reintroduction under proper safeguards of the system of boarding out young children. The establishment of further farm schools on Fairbridge lines should be encouraged, and the United Kingdom Government should be prepared to make a contribution tbward the capital cost and maintenance expenditure of such farm schools. Training facilities should be made available in the United Kingdom for single women and boys. The United Kingdom Government should bear up to 50 per eent. of the capital and maintenance costs of training centres where they are established jointly with an overseas Government, and up to 75 per cent, where they are established by approved voluntary societies. Dealing with different forms of migration, the report states that the tendency of the assisted migrants to look backwards to the United Kingdom Government for further assistance and support had been the cause of much failure and disappointment in the past. The committee are of opinion that similar failure and disappointment in the future can only be avoided if the migrant understands from tiie first that his country of settlement is his country, its Government his Government, and its citizens his fel-low-citizens. A policy of migration to be successful must be regarded as a cooperative undertaking by the United Kingdom and the Dominions for the benefit of both, and the financial burden should be equally shared. Comparing settlement by groups with infiltration into existing communities, the committee express dislike of the former method. In their view tiie risks, financial and otherwise, of the group system are out of all proportion to the results likely to be achieved, and far greater results, at far less cost in money and hardship, are likely to be effected by other methods! Experience has shown that "unassisted” migration was the most important; in spite of the facilities available under the Empire Settlement Act the nuiuber'of persons who migrated “on their own” was the major factor in the total volume of migration. The nomination system, whereby assisted passages are ■wanted to persons or families whose friends or relatives in tiie Dominions undertake to be responsible for them for a stated period, is specially commended by the committee. In conclusion, the committee admit that the report may disappoint some who had devoted much time and rendered valuable service to Empire settlement. The situation might appear to call for heroic remedies. Tiie report proposed no sueli remedies. On the contrary it suggested that tiie basis of some of the more ambitious proposals recently put forward was economically unsound. Tiie committee were convinced that it would lie by tlie individualistic method, congenial to the national bent, that the great bulk el migration from England would always take place.

MIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA Possible Negotiations Melbourne, January 22. The Federal Attorney-General, Mr. R. G. Menzies, hinted at the possibility of a revival of migration being made the basis of negotiations between Australia and Britain when the question of meat and other exports is discussed. Mr. Menzies said: "England is finding that she has too much population We must agree that Austra’ia’s population is too small lor the Commonwealth of the future. Immigration and trade must,, not be regarded as day-to-day matters.”