EMPIRE SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1922, Page 2

EMPIRE SETTLEMENT.

HON AMERY HONORED

AUSTRALIA;: AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON, July 10. The Empire Producers’ Organisation tendered a luncheon to Hon Amery at the Hotel Victoria to mark appreciation of his work for Empire Settlement especially in connection with the passage of the Empire Settlement Bilk Mr Ben Morgan (Chairman) eulogising Hon Amery said he could see no hopes of full employment in this country at the present rate of populations increase, therefore they must take in hand seriously, the better distribution of tho surplus population. Hon Amery’s Act, was the first definite step towards this end and was a great achievement. Sir J. Cook supporting the toast said Hon Amery had recognised ohe or two things that were fundamental: One was the recognition that this country had no right to leave its ex-servicemen to want, when there was room Overseas for them to live in plenty and comfort. Cook believed there was a real dispostion on the part of the authorities there to distribute the surplus within the Empire. He regarded Mr Amery as the pioneer of the new movement. Sir Janies Allen said Hon Amery was a man to whom we owed much, and we would owe more to him in the future. Hon Amery, in reply, said the most elementary fact was that the Empire occupied something like a. quarter of the earth. Us territories comprised every variety of sod, every raw material, and every mineral which civilised lige required. A visitor from another planet would imagine tlint the possessors were concentrating on the whole of this-estate, yet he would he surprised to find the .bulk of its population was crowded on a fifth of the estate, and

less than n quarter of its people were scattered over its wide domain. Our visitor would find os wasting far more time considering the credit .for the tottering fabric of Kurope. instead of developing our Empire, and that our chief pre-occupation to-day was whether if We imposed per cent, on German fabric gloves, Germans would cease purchasing our yarns ami buy cheaper and inferior material elsewhere. ' Mr Amerv continuing, said what we have to do is to abandon our insular prejudices and the Empire as a whole, see to its development. This must be our conception. It is in co-operation for better distribution of our people that we have now made a beginning. That large numbers had goiie to the Dominions was not due to anything done bv the Imperial Government; hut to the earnest work of the Dominions themselves. The war put an end to the flow of people and we were now confronted with conditions that made a resumption difficult, one factor being the cost of transportation. AVe must, however, see whatever flow takes place, that it he for the benefit of Dominions and Motherland. The new Act empowers the Secretary for the Colonies, in conjunction with the Dominions to secure a better distribution. Hon Amerv added:—The first problem was transportation. There were thousands' ready to go. hut they could ! not afford the cost. He hoped very shortly to conclude, an agreement win, Australia. The next problem was to fix square pegs into square holes an round pegs into round holes or ■ smooth down the square pegs to fit round holes. They must concentrate primarily on land settlement and train men in that pursuit, hut the best training would he that which a mtin got under a practical farmer, before risking everything upon a holding of his own. There was something to be said tor short training on this side in order to weed out those who would never he successful on the land. LONDON, July 10. Colonel Amerv also advocated juvenile emigration. It was the most promising, particularly if youngsters went under the care of parents. Ihe migration of women was also important. It was a great policy of social regeneration for those who lacked opportunity in their over-crowded country. Ihe pre-war flow of immigrants had strengthened the Old Country s markets. The Dominions were the best markets in the world when reckoned bv their purchasing power per head. ••‘W e cannot altogether ignore, he said “that the. economy and value question depends on our pursuing an Imperial economic policy. The Dominions gave a preference, which grew up m 15 or •>() years before the war, and has grown‘steadily since. It is now being embodied in England’s policy. He believed the tariff preference a vital contribution to their settlement problems. They should give a preference in the widest sense, not merely through their customs duties, hut m other ways. For instance, the investment of capital would make it easy for capita to flow within the Empire, instead of in foreign countries. He hoped, in the near future, to see shipping by air as a part of their transportation services,