THE POPULATION PROBLEM

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1929, Page 3

THE POPULATION PROBLEM

BRITAIN’S MIGRATION SCHEME. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). LONDON, Fell. 11. Mr Betterton in the Commons submitting the supplementary estimate of £366,000 for industrial training and transference, said whereas last year only 3024 persons went from the training centres to Canada and Australia, there were now six thousand training for Canada.. ’lt cost a man nothing till he reached Canada. They are prepared to train as many as it is anticipated Australia would take. . Mr Apslcy inquired the value of Tmpcrail preference given the Dominions for latest available year, also the amount given by the Dominions to Britain.

Mr Hacking said to the 31st March last year British preference approximately was £6,289,000. The latest complete figures of the Dominions preference to Britain was in 1925, when Canada gave £2,470,000, Australia £7,800,000, New Zealand £1,860,00.'! South Africa £643,000. Later figurefor the year ended June, 1927. Australia gave £8,480,000, South Airier £421,000.

Mr Hilton Young said it was a mistake to think that a policy of emigration amounted to a confession of failure. Emigration was most prevalent in the most vigorous periods of Britain’s life. It was tragic to think that the Dominions were being peopled bv foreigners instead of by Britishers. Mr Limn said tens of thousands wore anxious and willing to emigrate, hut the conditions in the Dominions were not encouraging.

Rt. Hon. Amerv replying said the Government in no-wise desired to shift the burden of unemployment to the shoulders of the Dominions. The migration policy must he based on co-operation between Britain and the Dominions, hut the Government believed migration, if persistently carried out with this co-operation, would help the growth of the Dominions trade and the welfare of the whole Empire. The test of the migrant should not be his employment, but hi fitness if he is likely to succeed and wishes to migrate, lie should he encouraged ; but if unfit and unwilling lie should be discouraged.