EMPIRE MIGRATION

Evening Star, Issue 22144, 26 September 1935, Page 11

EMPIRE MIGRATION

NEED FDR POPULATING THE DOMINIONS CONFERENCE AT NEWCASTLE Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 25. An Imperial Conference to discuss migration was advocated by the Earl of Mansfield at Newcastle, when a threedays’ conference began with the adoption of resolutions urging organised migration, adequately financed, as a stimulant to employment at home and overseas, and calling on the Government, in consultation with the dominions, to initiate “ a great emigration movement.”

Lord Mansfield said; The last thing in our .minds-ds - to ask the dominions to ' take a burden we are unable to bear. It is a mistake to imagine that a majority of the settlers would consist of unemployed. There would be an equal proportion of those who were employed. The dominion and Imperial Governments’ support is essential to ensure that there will be no change in policy.” “ There is no question that unless we populate New Zealand we will lose it,” said Mrs Jones Neilson, of New Zealand.

“ In view of Australia’s decline in population, the alternative is immigration or ultimate invasion,” said the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, who explained that he had convened the conference because he believed millions could not for ever be condemned to a stultifying, dole-supported existence. The dominions were desirous of British co-operation in immigration. He added that group community settlement was the objective.

SUPERVISING BOARDS ADVOCATED

LONDON, September 25. (Received September 26, at 11 a.m.) A deputation will urge the Government to provide in the Budget grants to settlers, and also to establish Empire boards empowered by statute to supervise large-scale migration, as a result of the Newcastle conference, which declared that the basis of all settlement must be that the Mother Country is responsible for the care of all migrants until they are established.

OUR OWN PROBLEMS

NOTHING DOING [From Our Paelmmentarv Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 26. The declaration that the Government could nob consider the question of resuming the policy of assisted immigration was made by the Prime Minister to-day, when his attention was drawn to a cablegram from England in which suggestions are made that the dominions should assist the Mother Country by taking her surplus population. “ While we have unemployed in New Zealand,” said Mr Forbes, “ we could not possibly consider adding _to our population by means of immigration. Our first duty 7 is to our otto people.” Mr Forbes said that while he was in England he had discussed the matter with the Imperial authorities, and had pointed out to them that while the present uncertainty existed about markets for our primary products, which were New Zealand’s main concern, the question of further intensive development of the country 7 could not be considered. The British Government realised the reasonableness of that attitude; that the Dominion had its own problems, as well as Britain. During the last three years assisted immigration, as disclosed in the department’s report, has fallen away to practically nothing.