The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in- corporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARTY 17, 1926. MIGRATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is inc orporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARTY 17, 1926. MIGRATION.

Sin A.mihbw Kcski-xi. and Dr Chnpp'.o. both recently from England, are tinning New Zealand at present, urging the formation of a Dominion Settlement Association io encourage immigration. A large and (omfrehensi vo scheme is urged, and to that, end il is considered advantage should If taken of the Empire Settlement Act of I!l““, whereby important financial assitauce can be obtained from the Motheiland. H was said that for the purpose referred to, the sum of eight millions were available for Now Zealand. Dr Chappie told his audienfe that New Zealand stood higher itt the eyes of Britain that any other Dominion. Sic was. in fact, the curlyheaded hoy of the Empire, and the recent General Election had done much to make her popular with Britain. He urged New Zealand to cultivate the Canadian .system of immigration, and advised them to follow the Socialists about, and if they heard them preaching against immigration, to mount the upturned tubs and tell the truth of the matter. Dr Chappie drew attention to the great amount of expenditure that was taking place in New Zealand cities, and suggested that it •should cease until something more was done for the needs of the country. There were, he said, hundreds of improvements being carried out in the cities to-dnv that could easilv wait

tor ten years or so. The towns wane spending too much and the country too little. He urged that voluntary Migration Committees should he set up

in New Zealand and also in Britain

with a view to getting into personal contact with the migrants, and thus arrange that only the best type should come to the Dominion. It was a mistake to fear a drop in wages, because of more men coming into the country. I be Socialist, on his upturned tub, declared that immigration was a capitalistic scheme to reduce wages. In Canada all was different. When an immigrant arrived in town there, tiio word went round that a new chum had arrived with 'his family. and everyone was glad to see them. The butcher .saw in the man and his family several new customers for his meat, the grocer saw in them more customers for his wanes, and it was generally recognised that their advent meant a reduction of rates and an increase of prosperity. Labour was wrong when it claimed that increasing the population of a country meant a reduction i.n wages. Was this the case in America ? In that country there -ere 110,1 00.000 of people to-day, and yet there was never a time when wages there were higher. The go-slow policy of labour was a tragedy. It did not make more work for men. The only wav to do this was to work hard. Sir Andrew Ru.ssell spoke from another view point—that of finding work to do for the newcomers. He said three factors were necessary to attract immigrants—jobs, money, and men. What was lacking in existing organisations dealing with immigration matters was the ability to create new jobs. If

tbev were don,? properly, there would not be any necessity for the labour people to complain that immigrants were taking other men’s jobs and lowering the wages. New Zealand bad not the advantages to offer immigrants

such as Canada and Australia, which had largo areas of untouched land, but at the same time there was some such land in the Dominion. Ho maintained that no Government had any moral right to hold land that was not occupied. Such areas provided a breeding ground for weirds and they deteriorated every year. There were many possibilities in such land. There was also a great opening for immigrants in the matter of afforestation. By such means as he had indicated, stimulation in home industries would take place. He drew attention to the British Empire Settlement scheme and complained that so little use was made of it. He asked if the Dominion or any other country had hcen developed on Government money or hy private enterprise, and <lfa mnintaind that they were developed principally through the latter. Ho believed that a. fatherly government could assist in the matter of immigration, hut he did not favour a grand-motherlv government. Tie could assure those present that if the right organisations were set up, (heap money would bo forthcoming for immigration purposes. He thought that capital should either come with immigrants, or preferably before them. 'With regard to the class of immigrants entering a country, he agreed that they should bo of tho best type; it was no good sending out weaklings. Unfortunately there were some people at Home who thought that in wanting only the best men from the Old Country we were selfish. Ho wanted to see an Intelligence Department set up to supply the information necessary to enable an immigration scheme, established on a. sound basis; if was irseV??s simply to pass resolutions on the subject. The views expressed should he helpful in focussing thought- on a subject which is of very wide Empire interest. There are many manv thousands at Homo who would 1.0 glad to came overseas if they had the opportunity, with the assurance of work- to do hero. Employment is five crux of the proposition, and just how to create that in ample quantity or to provide land for settlement is the real task of Parliament to-day to assure permanent prosperity in the future. The (subject 'needs the fullest consideration and the most careful handling to attain success.