BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1928, Page 2

BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

IN THE CDMA lONS. (Australian Press Association & Sun.) LONDON, Feb. 24. Introducing the Empire Settlement Bill in tho House of Commons, Air Somerville said we ought to he emigrating two to three hundred thousand yearly. In four years preceding the war 808,613 emigrated to Canada, Australia and New Zealand. During the four years from 1922 to 1926 emigrants numbered 402,911. One hindrance to emigration was the lack of spirit of adventure and another was tho cost of the passage. Ho suggested tlie formation of a hoard consisting of men with a knowledge of the Dominions, and managers of great railways and shipping lines. The Bill would give the Government power to establish centres for an intensive course of training of migrants, during which they! could-uscertain whether they were fit for farm life and acquire the rudiments for agricultural skill. There were six million acres of 'land near ihe great southern railway in Australia awaiting development, where the experiment might he tried. He asked Air Amory to use part of the three millions sterling ayear voted in 1923 for emigration purposes as a guarantee for the interest of a loan that would finance such training schemes. There was a growing conviction that this great question needed a steady great national Imperial effort. Air AYardlaw Nulne in seconding! said regarding the money question under tlie present filly-fifty system the Dominions must he, as we must he, very limited in the amount they could find hut was it necessary that we should always he hound by fnis fiftyfin v system. Laund promised the Labour Party support hut said he honed the fifty-fifty basis would he maintained in the agreements with the Dominions. AH Amory on behalf of the Government. said while agreeing to the second reading, he had some misgiving as to how far the machinery suggested was really tho best for tlic purpose. It was decidedly attractive for the nromoters of the Bill to say they contemplated training people for overseas, but were they also seeking] a hotter chance for settling our people in the Old Country.