BRITISH MIGRATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 480, 9 October 1928, Page 9

BRITISH MIGRATION

LORD LOVAT URGES NEED FOR EXPANSION A LUNCHEON ADDRESS “I have come on an Empire mission/’ said Lord Lovat. in an address at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in the Town Hall concert chamber to-day. “I have had opportunity of discussing prob lems of migration in Canada, and I am hopeful of learning much of New Zealand conditions-” More than 200 Chamber of Commereo members and their guests were present it the luncheon, and among them wrro Mr. 11. T. Merritt, in the chair. Sir Georg© Fowlds. Messrs. F. Skevington (British. Treasury). H. D. Thomson (Under-Secretary for Immigration), I>. Ardell (Department of Internal Affairs> A. J. Entrican (Deputy-Mayor>. M. 7 ' Wynyard (acting-chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board), W. J. Holdsvvorth (vice-president Land Settlement and Development League, and chairman of the Auckland Power Boarf' J. S. Brigham (town clerk). Lord Lovat said he felt already that he had had an opportunity of learning something of New ealand. After such a short stay ho did not intend to attempt to offer a solution of the various problems he had come to discuss, but he felt that in Auckland ho had made a good start. Migration problems in Canada were discussed by him during his tour, and lio found that of 150.000 people entering Canada each year only 53.000 came from the British Isles. Canadians, however, were determined to til! up their country. They vast resources. and the quicker they were developed the quicker would tbe country go ahead. Ho believed that the problem was not a difficult one. and that Britain would bo able to help.

In the U.S.A. it was likely, if the electons went the right way. that the quota would bo increased and considerably more people from Britain would find their way there. The white nations had a great deal in common in the Pacific, where was centred well over half the populat*on of the Europe that the Pacific would be the storm centre of the world for the next half-century. He felt that against tho risk of unemployment had to be set the need for finding an outlet for people who could be placed in the countries of the Pacific and their vacant spaces. People should look 'head at the probabilities of developn. > t of tho next 50 years. “I can see that there are many problems of land settlement and development in New Zealand,” he continued, “but it is a matter that has to be faced, and faced resolutely. Britain wished to co-operate in the development of New' Zealand along harmonious lines, and she believed that by population and finance she could help toward *hat great end. Lord Lovat declared that the British migrants in Canada were doing well. Press reports in Canada and Britain had given publicity to failure and not to success, and he had found that for every failure there were 99 successes. It was very often argued that every man sent out to a new country was displacing someone in that country, but he believed that this was a complete fallacy. There was always development, and in the little island of Britain, 125,000 new jobs were made each year. If 125,000 now billets could be created in Britain in 12 months, what were the possibilities of the Empire? Britain was old, but the greater part of the Empire was only in process of development. Those who argued that men were being displaced, would also have to admit that their country was at a standstill, if it w’ere not going back. The speaker was thanked wor his address.