The Guardian And livening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MAHCH 9th, 1929. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And livening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MAHCH 9th, 1929. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION.

Accoiiihxo Lu a Vancuuver message oi last month, Canada Jias readied tint parting ot the ways with her iminigration policy. Swinging towards Ivuropean immigrauoii tor the past lour years, in growing volume each year, the Dominion has deeided te> end a jialt, and to swing baek toward the British stock again. 'Jlie agreement between the .Federal Government and tne two great railways, under winch immigrants from Southern Europe eouid lie procured at ojd each, lias been sudoeiily tern lined, two years before it expired. In inline, Canada will endeavour to get more British immigrants. What ealied the halt was the inglorious ligures showing the immigration lor 11128. The number of British immigrants entering Cauda in 1928 was 47,• otO, us compand with 84,864 from nonBritish countries Entrants from the united Staos numbered 2.1,374, and of the 62,990 from other foreign conn tries 1.3,72 b were Athenians, 9711) Germans, /241 Boles, 6140 .Magyars, 3777 Slovaks, 2619 Swedes, 2628 Finns, 2622 Banes, 2603 Jugo-Slavs, and in lessor numhers -Norwegians, Dutch and Lithuanians. 'lhe railways both protested against the sudden termination of the agreement without notice. Each had made its commitments ior more piople

lor some mouths ahead. It is probable tnnt the authorities at Ottawa will allow the railways to firing ill .such iiuniigrauts lor whom commitments lu.ci been made. But the agreement is dead. Canada is not likely to hear more of it Much ol the credit lor its determination, is due to a churchman Mr Exton. Idoyd, Anglican Bishop of Saskatchewan, in which province tile population of non-British origin ox-c-eecls that of British origin. For two years Dr Lloyd has been attacking the agreement in the papers of Canada, and on the public platform, pointing out that it wax' building up on the prairie a “mongrel” Canada. He was nailed some sharp names, and reminded that he was a churchman, not a, politician, hut he snick to the task until public interest was really aroused and the authorities at Ottawa were constrained to move for the decision •>f the agreement. A blunt declaration by the Premier of 1 Alberta that tiio Cinderella province had all the foreign, ers it wanted, and would seek only British in future, helped the final decision. A small but influential section of the Liberal press, which supports Mr Mackenzie King, is making an effort to '-have the admission of nonBritish immigrants continued, hut the pendulum has swung and. the nc..t few years will see as determined an effort to get British immigrants as has been made in the last four to get nonBritish. Some awkward questions were being asked in England, even in the House of 'Coinons, as to the sincerity of definitions in favour of British immigration by the Prime Minister and .ns colleagues, especially when they went to England. A growing voice of protest by the press of Canada at the increasing disparity between British and non-British immigrants turned a strong influence against the Liberal policy. There "'ill bo a Federal general

elect ion next year. Wore it this year .Mr Mackenzie King would find it difficult to answer some pertinent questions regarding immigration. Capital is Mowing into the Dominion in such volume that makes the. prospect of settlement, production, and national prosperity during the immediate ensuing years very attractive. Immigration follows the flow of productive capital Both the great railways ha.c enormous construction programmes in hand. Be ween them there is a dispute that Parliament may have to .settle as to their rights in building new railways in Western Canada. The rails are within 50 miles of Hudson Bay. If you draw a line from there westward to the Pacific in Northern British Columbia and drop feeders from such a railway to the main systems, you will have-some idea of the intentions of the captains of industry controlling the Canadian Pacific, and Canadian National Ba i I ways. The 192!) programme comprises an aggregate construction expenditure of £18,000,000. The new transcontinental system will tap enormously rich mineral resources and the productive agricultural sectors of the Peace Biver anil Northern British Columbia. Two provinces most nearly concerned, Alberta and British Columbia, want only British immigrants for this new development. They are so determined about iL that the Liberal Government at Ottawa will assuredly grant them their wishes. For that reason the next three years will see a return to the pre-war volume of British immigration, if it is not really exceeded.

elsewhere, hut the supply has stood up to the demand remarkably well. 'I he fish arc being caught further afield of late years,' and thanks to motor transport, arc delivered fresh on the market within a few hours. The demand for fresh fish in Canterbury, together with those required for canning operations, has created a great deal of employment, and on the whole it has been profitable employment. The seasons have been made the most of, but it is clear a good deal of remunerative work has been created, and a tonsideraile sum of fresh wealth brought into the district, it would appear that one of the causes demand. i:ig restriction in fishing for whitebait, has been the decline of the whitebait- on the East Coast where the tisli was something of a staple food supply for trout. Trout fishing has enormous vogue oil the other side, and as one fisherman expressed himself lately Circuit fishing was a valuable tiling to the country, and it would he quite possible to lose more through trout fishing than it would gain in the whitebait fishing.” West Coasters will hardly sufiscribe to that dictum, though it may have sonic application to the East (bast where whitebait have never appeared in such quantities as on this Coast. The sporting fishermen predominate on the East Coast, and it will not be surprising if their inlluenee does not all’ect the position to some extent. Whatever regulations may lie required on the East Coast, it would appear that conditions on the West Coast are so distinct, that something different would bo necessary here It would appear therefore that those interested in the white bait industry, which was established here under Government subsidy originally, should watch their interests. Tt is clearly not a case for universal interests being treated with one set of regulations. Apart from the difference in local conditions, there is also the difference in seasons and the difficulty of gauging duration. There are early and late seasons, and there will be much conflict of opinion about any middle course to .suit any possible common condition of affairs. Tt would certainly be wise not to lose any time in the matter of keeping in touch with the "Department attomping to deal with the matter in order to ascertain just what is being done before it is too late to net successfully.

The Secretary of the Hokitika Fire Brigade ackno" ledgtfs a donation £2 2s from .Air AV. E. Bichards. -Mr Brophy, the second in command ol' Lht* Hyrd expedition, who lias just returned to New Zealand hy the Eleanor Moiling, purposes visiting the i'ran.-'. Josef Glacier region shortly. -Al. Houston and Co. are holding stock sales at Marihari on AVednesdav. .March 12t.1i and at AYatai •oa on Thursday, March 21st. For further particulars see advertisement. I he swimming race for the Newman Cup, announced for this afternoon at the Municipal Baths, has been postponed until a later date, which will be\ duly announced. ~Y A special meeting of the Hokitika Athletic and Cycling Club will he held in Mclntosh's Club Booms on Monday. Uth. inst at 8 p.m. All members and supporters are requested to attend. Business important.—-<\uvt. The proposals for a loan of the Grey Power Board .vere yester lay beforo the Leal Bodies Loans BoardThe Member for AVestlmd, Mr Jas O’Brien lies received an intimation that the Loan Board has paswd the. proposals. Owing to so many functions of late and the early approach of Easter, it has been decided this year to abandon the outdoor benefit for the Hokitika Beautifying Society. Instead a benefit s cial dance and supper will be held at the Soldiers’ Hall on the 18th. inst. (St. Patrick’s holiday night). Particulars appear in this issue. The benefit is to assist in raising further funds to add to the attractions of Cass Square, which is such an asset to the town. Tickets are at the modest price of 2s Gd, and should ensure a ready anile. A meeting of ladies will sbo hold at the Soldiers’ Hall at 3 o’clock on Monday afternoon to make arrangements regarding the evening, including the providing of supper.'

A special offer 30 only ladies all wool jumpers in plain colours and stripes, the usual prices are 15s to 255, for quick sale these are to be sold at 10s Gd for plain colors, 14s 6d for stripes. Be early and secure one. Schroder and Co.—Advt.