OVERSEAS DELEGATION

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1923, Page 3

OVERSEAS DELEGATION

REPLY TO ALLEGATIONS. BRITISH M.l’.'K STRONG < I.AIM. [BY TEI.I'X:RAIMI —PER PI.ESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Sept. 24. The members of the British Overseas Delegation, after their arrival from Nelson on Saturday attended the Farmers Institute at the invitation of the Farmers' l nioti Advisory Council, to hear tin- fnimi's views on immigration. with a special reference to the supply of labour for tarms. Air Poison. President of the Cnion, and Mr AY. 1). I.ysnar, ALP. for Gisborne. tspoke, the latter mentioning that many Scandinavians and Russian Roles find come to New Zealand and he never heard oi one being a lailurc. They were good workers and learned luish drainage, fencing work and earned good money. He hoped that B:i----tain would send out men of that stamp. jo tin- course of reply. Air AYignall. Labour member in the House oi Commons. said that lie had listened with interest to the repre.-entations made. Ho warmly combatted the statement by Air Poison to the effect that some Bri-ti.-h immigrants were not half as good as (Retain foreigners, saying: ‘'The worst of ours is as good as their best. The British nation is not a nation el idlers. ‘Tired Tims” and “Weary \yfi'.ll";"'s”. A'our Dominion has beoHj buiß up on British pluck, industry and endurance and you are the descendants of such people. The average British migrant stands high. You are entitled to a. good type of immigrant Imt you must take a reasonable risk. 1 feel pretty warm about this because | have hoard statements about people i imve worked with and love and I would he a coward if I didn’t speak out in their defence." Air Wignall said that he favoured die hoy immigration system which nas the best lie had yet seen. The dreadnought scheme in Now South AY ales and the Harwell scheme in South Australia were proving eminently successful. Mr Poison said that he had been misunderstood. Vr Wignall: "You said Half a? go,’ l as a Pole.’ V will never forge; that.. That will stick.” i Air Poison: ‘-'Some of those met - j,re particularly good men and we wil - welcome immigrants halt as good 1 That is the point. A\ e don t sitgges e ihat the average British immigrant i m» good. We say that if he was hal i- as good, he was good enough. AY -r are Britishers." _____