Migrants and Markets

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 433, 15 August 1928, Page 9

Migrants and Markets

FAIR EXCHANGE WANTED

Dominion Farmers’ Worries

CITY WAGES TAKE MEN FROM LAND

GIVE us your markets and. we will take your surplus population.” That, according to Sir Thomas Mackenzie, is the offer which the Dominions are prepared to make to Britain. Migration and markets were discussed at the conference of Empire farmers in London. (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association\)

Reed. 10.40 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. The Farmers’ Empire Conference was continued to-day. Sir Thomas Mackenzie (New Zealand) presiding over a discussion of the development of the grass-lands of the Empire, said £426,000,000 worth of the products of the world’s grasslands was imported annually to Britain, mostly from foreign countries. A great part of this, he declared, might be produced within the Empire, if Britain offered preferential markets. The Dominions were prepared to say: "Give us your markets, and we will take your surplus population.”

Sir Thomas proposed, and Messrs. Yelland and Vernon (Victoria) supported, the formation of national unions in Australia and New Zealand, in co-ordination with the British National Union. Mr. Yelland said the farmers’ tour had dispelled any misgivings about the character, capacity, or status of Britons, compared with Continental peoples. Mr. P. J. Hannon, a Conservative M.P., said a serious feature of the migration problem was the increase of aliens entering the Dominions, compared with Britons. In the last four years British migration to Australia

had increased 12 per cent., while the Influx of aliens had doubled. Mr. Yelland said the whole problem was whether suitable country employees could be obtained from the cities, because the English farmers could spare none. Mr. Vaile (New Zealand) said the city wages were responsible for men leaving the land. Until the present false standard of living was changed, New Zealand could not absorb more migrants. The conference approved a proposed tour by Bditish farmers of Australia and New Zealand at t>e end of 1929, following the formation of National Unions in Australia and New Zealand, with which the initiative would rest.