OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1920, Page 3

OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT

(Imperial News Service.)

(Received this day at 10.20 a.m LONDON, March Bth. In the Commons, Mr Amery speaking op (lie Cojonial vote, described the work of the Colonial vote, described the work of the Overseas settlement office, a (id particularly emphasised the assistance given to ex-service men. Hitherto ton thousand applications, totalling eighteen thousand persons were received. The Overseas Government h;ui passed (wo thousand persons some of whom already sajd the total expenditure on the scheme might reach one million sterling for 1920-1921. Mr Amery mentioned he would””:shortly intro duet* a bill under which the Dominion? Governments would he enabled to enforce payment from the men who do serted their families in Great (Britain Payments would be transmitted to

' boards of guardians maintaining the .jabunilics. He referred to the formation of a. federation embracing all immigration societies. Canada was interested in the settlement of women and the Canadian Governments substantial assistance to the whole scheme was only the beginning of one of the most important Empire movements. Mr iAmery dwelt on the desirable, ness of a careful selection of men wishing to pi'oeeed overseas. Nobody suggested that) -Great Britain could hold - a]) 'the people who had gone to the Dominions. On the contrary, if there had not been great emigration during the last century and there had been no dominions with which to trade, we could not support ourselves to-day. He emphasised the desirableness of encouraging men to emigrate to parts of the Empire, in peace or war, but of quite a different character were thoso who went .to other countries. It could be reckoned safely that one l*- 11 "’ 10 - man who went to the Dominions, was from the standpoint of safety of Empire worth twenty times a-s much as one who went even to so friendlv a ' country outside the Empire as the ITnited States.