The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1928 “TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTING”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 499, 31 October 1928, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1928 “TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTING ”

FOUGH there appears to be more anxiety and even panic in London over the performances and prospects of the English cricket team now in Australia than interest in more important affairs, a great deal of the best serious thought in Great Britain really is given to the vital question of Empire settlement. And it has become clear that British patience with the cold attitude of the Dominions toward immigration threatens to break down under the stress of persistent unemployment. Polite commentators on the lamentable failure of the Empire Settlement Act have got to the stage of impatience where expression of opinion becomes blunt and edged with disgust. They have referred to the results of that enactment of Imperial Conference optimism as “terribly disappointing,” and have noted that it is about time the Dominions realised the Motherland s need of a helping hand. .... It cannot be doubted that the facts about British emigration and Dominions’ immigration are “deeply disturbing. Six years ago the British Government, with the enthusiastic approval of the overseas delegates to the Imperial Conference, launched in high hopes the Empire Settlement Act, which was designed to people the empty lands in the various Dominions, and thus afford essential relief to Great Britain in the worst years of industrial depression and distress, while, at the same time, increasing the economic strength of the Empire. Under the Act the British Government undertook to contribute up to half the cost of assisting emigration and settlement. The initial high hopes have been brought to the ground in flat disappointment. So far, the great scheme has been a miserable failure. Australian politicians have talked most about Empire settlement, but they have not gone much further than talk. Labour is openly hostile to immigration and divides its activities between and among unemployment processions in every city, strikes, and fleshing the knives of eager Italian labourers on the waterfront, who have been - assaulted for exercising their right to work —a common right that does not appear to be appreciated much by many Australian workers. This country for several years took and held something like, a lead in proportion to its population in exercising a plain, patriotic duty in assisting and employing British immigrants. But that high duty was beyond the height of political wisdom. It has had to be curtailed almost to the point of neglect. There was no efficient attempt ever made to direct the flowing stream of immigration into the channels of industry and settlement. The stream has been dammed. Worse than that, the State and local bodies have had to spend £1,000,000 on unemployment relief without effecting a cure, and now the tribe of humanitarian politicians and political candidates for Parliament scream for the establishment of unemployment insurance. Call tmemployment pay, insurance or the dole or anything else for that matter, but no term will hide the truth that the cure for enforced idleness does not lie in any scheme of social insurance. What is wanted is improved immigration methods and distribution of immigrants. Great Britain resents the suggestion that her unemployed multitude represents a standing army of vagrants and dole-demoralised vagrants. One of these days the Dominions may be asked bluntly what they mean to do about it.