N.S.W IMMIGRATION POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 April 1921, Page 3

N.S.W IMMIGRATION POLICY.

N.S.W. IMMIGRATION POLICY

GO VERN M ENT’S DIF FI CUI A'

POSITION

SYNNEY, March 22

The Labour Government of New j South Wales, which is genuinely anx- . ions to appear as a moderate and roa- | sellable administration—because only | so can it retain the approval of the 1 Farmers’ Party, by the grace ol which j it carries on— is in a most difficult j position in regard to immigration, j Every sane ami reasoning man insists ■ that this country must have much ad- j ilitional population at the earliest pos- . siblo moment—anti the Stall' Govern- i incut itself accepts this view. The Coni j moiiwoalth Government, with the ap- j proval of the State Governments, lias I recently superimposed on the individ- j uni States’ immigration organisation J machinery for the selection and convey- j ame to Australia of large numbers of j carefully chosen British people. The j scheme, in its details, appears to be a j good one; but it Ims no sootier been , got moving than the extremists within j the Labour movement have raised their j usual howl against immigration. The j non-Labour Governments have simply ignored them ; but the two Labour Administrations- New South Wales and Queensland —albeit very unwillingly—have had to lend an ear to the murmur ings. They have issued soothing .statements hut have not vet repudiated their agreement with the Common- j wealth, and the immigration machinery is beginning to get up some speed. The A.L.P. of New South Wales, which is tin* master of the Government, has specifically ordered the Government to cease all connexion with immigration activities and attend to tbe j unemployed problem. The Government j cannot ignore these instructions alto- j gather, and lias now endeavoured to J take a middle course. It has had a lot of tumble over the Land Bill, which I it was forced to drop last session, hut j which it promises to introduce again j next session. This is a most drastic measure. Boiled down, it means that the Government can take any large estate it pleases at about two-thirds of the land’s value, and pay for it ill in-terest-bearing bonds. In view ol the fact Lliat land for closer settlement cannot be obtained the Bill seems tin* eas- j just way out; but it is anathema to the j financial institutions which are exerting j pressure on the Government through j its need of money. So the Government t is now pointing out that it is the Conservative classes who are opposed to the j Land Bill/ by which sound and sane ; immigration is to he made possible. In the circumstances, says the Govern- j ment, it can do more than pursue a ! policy of laisscz faire. In other words, ; it will not oppose the Federal immigra- j lion scheme, hut it will not actively | j assist it until means are adopted to ! ' make sufficient land available. j