ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 14, 10 February 1909, Page 3

ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.

DEPUTATION TO JIK. FOWLDS. , THE "STINKING FISH" POLICY CONDEMNED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Lust Xight. The Trades and Lnbur Council tojiiglit waited on the J lon. G. Fowlds. .Minister for Immigration, to protest against a continuance of tin- present (system of immigration. It was pointed out that unemployment was general .throughout the Dominion, and the prospects for the coming winter were bad. ■flenco the arrival of people from abroad was an embarrassment to the workers. and the country gem-rally. . -Mr. Fowlds, in reply, said a country with New Zealand's possibilities should be able to absorb a fair number of ,pco--plo under normal conditions. It was (wrong for the Government to add to an overstocked labor market, however, by 'paying for assisted immigration, and ■where it was evident this was the result, it would be ended. The demand for domestic servants was great and unsatisfied, and some time ago the High Com-inMsioni-r was instructed that only domestic servants and agricultural laborers should be assisted. Of the immigrants arriving only about one-third -were assisted. Last year, out of 652!) 'arrivals, only lMff were approved by <the High Commissioner, and 1103 oli'tained assisted passages- on the nomina'iion of friends in the Dominion. Certain shipping agents had been making 'statements which were unwarranted, land it was difficult to know how this 'was to be dealt with, it might, ho-v----iever, be possible for the Government to ■minimise the misrepresentations of 'some shipping agents. Anything that 'could ibe done to stop adding to an over'stocked labor market would be done. 'The Government, however, could not (advertise all over the United Kingdom Ithere was no room in New Zealand, and M was not wise for an individual or a 'nation to cry "stinking fish" in that Away. The ffigbi Commissioner would (give a clear statement of the different (industries as revealed by the figures of Jthe Labor Department. Regarding the tip of land for settlers, the Minister said the Government was doing as imuch as possible, and he pointed out that there was plenty of good land in (Auckland .to be had for the asking.