Migrants Are Disappointed

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 240, 30 December 1927, Page 11

Migrants Are Disappointed

“Colours Too Bright!” LEAVING AUSTRALIA It is the impression of Dr. Du big, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, that conditions in Australia are painted in too bright colours by migration officers in London. The result, he says, is that British migrants come to Australia under a false impression, and many of them are returning to England, disappointed and disillusioned. Dr. Duhig thinks that there is something wrong with the selection of migrants at the other end.

Dr. Duhig returned to Australia by the Orama.

He said he was much impressed on his trip back with the large number of migrants who were travelling out to Australia on that vessel. This brought to his mind that on the way over, on the same vessel, the majority of the third-class passengers were British migrants who were returning to England because they were not able to make a success of life here. They told him that they had come out with the best intentions, taking advantage of the facilities provided by the Government, but they found that they were not wanted in the labour market, and those of them who hud tried the land had found it exceedingly difficult to make a living. They felt very bitterly about it, because some of them had lost all the money they possessed. Help for Native-born “I felt,” the Archbishop continued, “that there is something wrong with the selection of migrants on the other side, and with the organisation at both ends. It brought to my mind the necessity of thinking of our own young people first before thinking of others. While I should like every reasonable help to be given to immigration, I think that no Government is doing or has done sufficient to encourage young Australians themselves to stay on the land. It is generally agreed that there is no one better suited for land settlement that the sons of Australian farmers and others who have made good on the land. “Yet, while it costs the Government probably £I,OOO for each migrant settled on the land, I have never yet heard of a case where £I,OOO was offered a farmer’s son for that purpose. That is the injustice of the whole thing. This is particularly urgent at the present time, because there is undoubtedly a crisis in he primary industries, contributed to by droughty, high taxation and other causes.”

“I am afraid,” continued the .archbishop, ‘‘that prospects in Australia are entirely over-coloured at Australia House. Prospective migrants at Home should be told the plain truth. It seems to me that the foreigner comes out here with much saner ideas. He does not expect the rosy conditions expected by the British migrant. However much certain people may object to them, it is a fact that Italians going home do so with something saved to bring out the remainder of their families. A number of them were on board, and that was so in every case. The reason is that they are not afraid of work nor of hard conditions.”