The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCT. 30th, 1924. EMPIRE SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCT. 30th, 1924. EMPIRE SETTLEMENT.

Ai.tiiouoh it*is over two years since the Empire Settlement Act became law, the results thus far .set down to its credit are not by any means impressive. The total number of emigrants

from Great Britain in 1933 shows a fairly substantial increase on the figures for tlie two previous years, butunfortunately these figures cover not only a redistribution of Empire population, but a considerable loss to tho Empire of population it can ill afford to lose. The aggregate emigration front Britain of persons eighteen years of age and over during each of the three years to 1923 was:—l92l, 15-1,727; 1922, 130,025; and 1923, 212,909, considerably over one half being males.

In view of the overcrowded state of the Mother Country, the increase in emigration last year is a matter for congratulation, lint- it is anything but satisfactory that well over a third of these emigrants went to foreign countries, particularly to the United States. In addition to 51,800 male emigrants,

upwards of 15,000 women left Britain for the United States last year. While, the position as”a' whole in this respect is disturbing, a very serious feature Is the increasing emigration of British skilled tradesmen to the United States. The total in this category Inst year

was over 28,800, and of these men 11,271 were metal and engineering workers, as compared with .'39.50 such emigrants from Britain to the United States in 1922. and 2017 in 1921. From the standpoint of Britain and the Empire, these figures represent a disastrous loss and wastage of the best elements il the population. Obviously, if this wastage continues, Britain’s standing as an industrial nation will decline, am! the development of the Empire will be prejudiced. The loss of skilled tradesmen will lather accentuate Ilian relieve the pioMems of over-population and unemployment in the Mother Country. At the same time it is clear that in existing circumstances there are no means of diverting these emigrant tradsmen from foreign destinations to destinations within the K.mpiie. The Dominions at most <oiild provide employment for only a fraction of the British tradesmen who are now proceeding annually to the United States. There is little doubt, however, that Britain could retain these tradesmen if she turned to the policy of piotecting her home market, and that under this policy she would he al.le to co-operate far more effectively than at present in developing and peopling the overseas Empire. The loss of skilled tradesmen, and the enfeehlemcnt of her industrial oiganisation which must follow, result inevitably from conditions in which she is importing vast ipiantities of foreign manufactures, and is even allowing big local body contracts to go to the foreigner. It is being demonstrated more and more clearly as time goes on that the protection of the British home market has an indispensable place in a really effective policy of Empire development.