“FANTASTIC REPORT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 545, 24 December 1928, Page 11

“FANTASTIC REPORT”

BIG MIGRATION SCHEME LABOUR M.P.’S DENIAL (United P.A.—Bp Telegraph — Copyright) ' i Australian end X.Z. Press Association) Reed. 10.45 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. The Labour M.l\. Mr. Georse Lansbury, describes the “Sunday Express’s" migration report as fantastic and non - existant outside the imaginatious of non-Labourites. The National Executive, which had considered migration in relation to both unemployment and developments in Britain and the Dominions, would never adopt such a scheme without the full co-operation of the Dominions, the Trade Unions and the Government.^ Mr. J. R- Clynes, Labour, said that he was more anxious to find work Tor the men in Britain than to send them overseas. Nevertheless, he favoured the migration of volunteers with the agreement of the Dominions. Labour members believed that if the British and Dominion Governments would get together, with Labour acting in an advisory capacity, much could be done to place advantageously a large number of families overseas. According to an earlier- message the “Sunday • Express” makes a special feature of a report by its Lobby correspondent, who says the Labour Party at the general election will make a spectacular bid for power, by making as a main plank of its platform a scheme to transfer 250,000 unemployed men with their families to the Dotninions. The correspondent says the men will be given a definite pledge of lucrative employment. If the proposal takes a practical shape the party will receive powerful financial support and the whole-hearted advocacy of some of the* most influential publicists. “Free passages for the whole of the migrants will be paid by the British Government. There will be agreements between the Home and the Dominion Governments, to fix the minimum wages, the Government to bear any loss. “The scheme wall necessitate finding a strong popular leader who is willing to stake his career on carrying it out Nobody expects the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, to take the hazard.” The writer suggests that Mr. J. H. Thomas might see in the scheme an opportunity for securing the Prime Ministership.