BLOCKING EMIGRATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2122, 1 May 1920, Page 1

BLOCKING EMIGRATION.

THOUSANDS WAITING., London, February 2(1. In an interview with the Morning Post, the High Commissioner for New Zealand laid special emphasis i>» the necessity for increased shipping facilities to meet the growing ret I nests for passenger accommodation from the United Kingdom to the Dominions. The shipping companies were, he said, doing their best to meet the demands made niton them, but they were handicapped, partly by the difficulty of getting back to their normal tonnage, and partly by the fact that there were vexations delays in the “turnround” of the limited number of ships which they had at their disposal for the Dominion services. '“We have,” said Sir Thomas Mackenzie, “completed the repatriation of our .soldiers, so that in the future we shall require ships no longer for military transport, but only for civilian passenger traffic and commercial transport. With the purpose of satisfying our demands in that respect the Imperial authorities have released from control all the New Zealand steamship lines, and if those lines Wore being used to their full capacity it would bo to the mutual advantage of New Zealand and of this country. “Tin* shipping companies are ready and willing to dp all in their power to help us in bringing food supplies to this country, and Jn taking emigrants to the Dominions. They realise, quite as strongly as we t do, the light of tens of thousands of

civilians ami ex-service men and women and I heir dependents who are awaiting the means of transport to the Dominions. New Zealand alone has a list of 7,280 people awaiting passages to New Zealand, while the shipping companies have at least another 2,000 intending passengers on their books. To meet this demand the shipping companies have undertaken, if necessary, to transform their .cargo-carriers into pas-senger-carriers, and have speededu]> their liners with a view to a ipiick “turn-round” here, only to find their plans frustrated by a “holdup” in this country, which has sometimes run into weeks, while inward cargoes have been awaiting discharge, and outward passengers have been awaiting transport.” If the Port authorities in the Un-

ited Kingdom would —or could —arrange for the quick discharge of incoming cargoes and the quick despatch of out-going shiits, the position would improve rapidly. In the meantime New Zealand was asking for immigrants, while thousands o) would-be immigrants were clamouring for passages. With regard to the British Gov-

ernment’s scheme for granting free passages to the Dominions to Imperial ex-service men and their dependentI*, 1 *, the New Zealand Government will undertake lo lind employment on arrival for able-bodied men of that (dass, and the High Commissioner is authorised to assure applicants, whether skilled or unskilled, of constant employment. But (and the High Commissioner insists that this is a very important “but”) lie cannot undertake to provide transport until he can get the shipping.