MIGRATION IN THE EMPIRE.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1922, Page 1

MIGRATION IN THE EMPIRE.

NEED FOR CO-OPERATION

BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION WANTED.

LONDON, March 14

Colonel L. C. S. Amery, addressing the Royal Colonial Institute on migration within the Empire, said a better distribution of the population of the Empire was the key to most of the problems facing Britain and the Dominions as a result of the war. He emphasised the need for co-operation in migration based on a recognition of this fact. The Dominions had now won equal recognition with Britain, but that equality postulated an equal share in burdens as well as in privileges. Full equality in partnership would only be obtainable when the Dominions attained something approaching equality with Britain .in the development of their resources. This could not he achieved by the Dominions without population. Until that was secured the Dominions’ new status would be more theoretical than real t which tended to produce misunderstanding and friction.

Since the war the area of possible friction had shifted to regions where the Empire was weak and vulnerable. The situation could not be countered by increasing Britain’s burdens in armaments. It could only be met i* the long run by building up new sources of British power. The menace of the naval position in the Pacific would not be solvable until the Dominions there had naval forces there able to keep their positions substantially intact pending the arrival of reinforcements. This would only be obtainable when Pacific Dominions’ populations more ntearly corresponded to the task involved.

Economically, there was no sign that Europe had began to turn the corner. When it did, foreign Government’s could l>e trusted to shut out British manufactures by means of tariffs infinitely above the pre-war level. Most serious of all, the normal growth of the Dominion markets had -been retarded by war losses and the cessation of emigration. Taking the average figures for the fine years prior to the war emigration from Britain between 1914 and 1920, mostlv to Dominions, would, under normal conditions, have totalled 2,100,000, instead of which it was actually 340,000. This left Britain with an increase in population of a million above the normal rate of increase. The Empire needed a redistribution of population between agriculture and industries and between Britain and the Dominions. In Britain the population totalled 100 to the sqare mile; in the Dominions it was under six to the square mile. The only effective permanent remedy was Empire migration joined with land settlement on a large scale in the Dominions. This was expensive, but was 11 *: * only lasting remedy.

British unemployment was an Imperial weakness. The various forms of relief doles in Britain now were costing Cl00,(100,000 a year. Tie was not suggesting a remedy for a temporary unemployment crisis by dumping unemployed overseas. That would be hopeless and disastrous and not acceptable to any of the Dominions. What was wanted was a permanent, constructive remedy. The problems created by the ‘war were soluble only by a steady, continuous, Fell-organised policy of transferring suitable settlers from Britain to the Dominions. Outlining the work of the. Oversea Settlement Committee, he said the Dominiona authorities had only accepted one-third of the applicants offering. Nevertheless, the embarkation for o- e:seas had been considerable. When pending applications had been handler 50,000 ex-servicemen, making, with their wives and families, 100,000 souls would have heeu transferred overseas Though a few letters of complaint and disappointment had been received, an overwhelming majority had expressed enthusiastic gratitude for the new chance in life given them, which had made him feel it was the best worth while work he had ever attempted. Britain’s payment of passages could • only be temporary. A permanent scheme must be based on financial co-operation between Britain and the Dominions. He hoped shortly to introduce the Migration Bill promised in the King’s Speech. He realised t ‘l Hl t the success of the scheme depuded on the soundness of the methods employed.