ITALIAN INDUSTRY

Shannon News, 9 November 1926, Page 2

ITALIAN INDUSTRY

The most vivid impression of a world tour retained by Mr T. M. Burke, a Melbourne business man, who returned to Australia lately, was the industrial activity he witnessed in Italy. Mr Burke stated that he had discussed with Italian migration officials an informal proposal to settle 'many Italians on the land in Australia.

In Italy, Mr Burlte v said, visitors were most impressed by the dictum that Signor Mussolini had put Italy to work. : Om every side he saw the eagerness of all classes to work hard for .the glory of the country. Everywhere th'ere was evidence that Italians had accepted a new national outlook. / As an example of the feverish activity, Mr Burke said that he had - ' an appointment arranged with a,n officer of the Emigration department at 7.30 p.m., on a Saturday. He asked the official’s secretary whether it was usual to make ,ap. pointmcnts at sucli an hour, and he ■■ • was told it was usual. When he ' - ; left that department at 9 p.m. work was still proceeding. Signor Musso-lini-had reduced tho number of ■ State officials by 100,000, and nis example of frugal living /was being widely followed by his countrymen. Beggars and strolling musicians had been practically cleared from the streets* While in Italy Mr Burke discussod with the Italian.; Migration department a proposal to settle many thousands of Italians on . speciallyselected areas in Mr Burke out to the officials that prospective Italian agriculturists must have capital, At Present many emigrants were coming’ , Australia without sufficient, mpney. A tentative proposal was discussed fbr the Italian Government to finance ! approved agricultural setlemcnt schemes for Italians, discussion was entirely informal an without official significance.