£2,000,000 A YEAR

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 22 November 1927, Page 5

£2,000,000 A YEAR

FOR ASSISTING SETTLEMENT BRITISH EXPENDITURE. DEPUTATION TO , MR. AMERY. /Per Press Association). Auckland, Nor. 22. The Hon. L. M. Amery received • deputation concerning immigration. Mr. W. J. Holdeworth explained the operations of the New Zealand Land Settlement League, which, he said, desired to assist in heipilfg Britain to settle some of her people on the land in this Dominion, and in return suggested that Britain give the dominions reciprocal treatment for their primary products. Mr. Amery said a ‘ remarkable change had occurred in the point of view of the British Government compared with that which was held, say, 20 years ago. Then the British Government was not concerned where the British people went, but to-day they were spending not far from £2,000,000 a year assisting settlement in various parts of the Empire and they had undertaken to spend, when the scheme had fully developed, £3,000,000 a year. They were as much concerned as the dominions that the right people should be settled and that none should be sent to the dominions but those likely to make good. RESPONSIBILITY OF SELECTION. The whole machinery of assisted immigration, said Mr.' Amery, was based on the principle of entrusting the full responsibility of selection to the dominions themselves, so thst they might lay down their own rules as to what type of people were to be received. On the whole, good results were being attained and not a very large proportion of those whe came out for specific purposes were drifting into occupations in which they were not wanted.

DISTRIBUTION OF MIGRANTS

(Received 22. 1.10 p.m.) London, Nov. 21

The Rt. Hon, Stanley Baldwin, in answer to questions, stated that for the seven months ended October 31, of migrants assisted under the Empire Settlement Act, 20.000 went to Canada, 16,700 to Australia, and 1,700 to New Zealand. The costs to the respective Governments were Britain and Canada £200.000 and £90,000; Britain and Australis £200,. 000 each; Britain and New Zealand £22,500 each

During the past five vears 7.305 boys, aged from 14 to 17. had gone to Canada under voluntary socicti-s’ care..