WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1920, Page 6

WOULD-BE IMMIGRANTS.

CONCESSIONS EXAGGERATED. London, Feb. Jii. A cable message to The Times, from Wellington, recently stated:—"Mr. '.Unssey has announced the following immigration policy:—To farm laborers and their wives passages and £10; domestic servants, free passage and a grant of £2; others a grant of £l3. New Zealand guarantees the employment of ablebodied ex-service men who are assisted by Great Britain." Other papem gave the message (through Renter) thus:—"The New Zealand Government has undertaken to find constant employment for skilled and unskilled immigrant soldiers, and to grant free passages for domestic servants coming to New Zealand" As a result of the first message the Overseas Settlement Committee OlHei in Victoria Street was thronged, all day by inquirers who wanted to go to New Zealand, while the normal daily mailbag of 700 letters was suddenly swollen to 1-200. The committee had received no direct information, and nothing further was known at the New Zealand Government Office in London. But the innilbag'in Victoria Street is still move bulky than usual. The query going round is whether or not the prospective present of £lO was the special attraction. Anyhow, it certainly gave an exaggerated idea of New Zealand's generosity, as the fact is understood to he that the Government is really offering passages at £lO per head to farm laborers and at £2 per head to domestic servants. Apart from these two classes of workers whom New Zealand is prepared specially to assist, says the British Australasian, are the ex-soldiers, and the war-workers, male and female, whose passages to the Dominions the Imperial Government will pay; and New Zealand, in common with Australia, is making a bid for its due share of these. To those who satisfy the High Commissioner as to their health and character, and who are deemed suitable as immigrants, work is guaranteed upon arrival. It does not matter whether they arc skilled or unskilled workmen. There is plenty of employment for large numbers of both, and though, of course, Australia and New Zealand cannot take unlimited numbers of new settlers, it is not easy to say what the limits of those they can accept within the next few years will be, provided that their Governments arc alive to the urgent necessity of adding tn their populations men and women of the right stamp, and that they go on with the good work of opening up their lands to i;ettlement. The primary producer is the keystone of the immigration arch. On him only can it be built large and strong. The Overseas Settlement Committee has received a grant from the Prince of j Wales' Fund, in order to assist enilI grant»