IMMIGRANTS DISCOURAGED.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1920, Page 5

IMMIGRANTS DISCOURAGED.

ACTION BY LABOR PEOPLE. By Teleerapli.—Press Association, Wellington, Last Niglit. • Recently the Wellington Labor Representative Committee published in Britain a statement evidently intended to discourage immigration to this country. The statement refers to the housing shortage, the high cost of living, and the high price of land; and warns immigrants against accepting Government work. Replying to these statements to-day, the Minister for Immigration, Mr. Nosworthy, said: "The real object of- the Labor Representative Committee seems to be divulged in its passing reference to the fear of a g'lut in the labor market. An extreme section of Labor is anxious to maintain the serious shortage which lies at the root of the scarcity of houses, tor the coal output for some months was seriously reduced by a go-slow policy, and the supply of brick and cement was consequently restricted. This shortsighted attempt to discourage workers in Britain from emigrating would, if successful, hamper the efforts of the people of New Zealand to develop the unrivalled resources of the Dominion in the way of hydro-electric power. The (iovernnient has in hand a very extensive scheme for the supply of cheap electricity for lighting and power throughout the country,' and when this is available a great impetus will be given to the Dominion's njanufacturing activity, thus enabling it to absorb a still greater number of workers. It Will also make farming easier and cheaper, and the conditions of life in the country more attractive. ''A few official figures will be more convincing than the extreme generalisations of a few partisans, such as the Labor Representative Committee. During the live years, 1910 ro IBM inclusive, New Zealand absorbed an additional population by way of immigration totalling 35,894, or an average of over 7000 immigrants per annum. During the succeeding five years (1915 to 1019 inclusive) the total gain in population by way of immigration was only, 0891. Thus it is evident that the cessation of emigration from England, owing to the war resulted in a total deficiency in Now Zealand's usual accessions of population from overseas of at least 22,109 persons. To this deficiency must be added the loss of 10,000 gallant young I New Zealanders who gave their lives for the Empire, and a still larger number who, by reason of wounds and sickness, have returned from the war unable to render the economic service to tliei# country which they were able to do before the war. "Here we see proved beyond doubt a great curtailment of the country's labor resources. It proves the urgent need for immigration, and the fact that the work is here awaiting the New Zealand has a splendid climate, good land, and mineral resources, and a hard-working and enterprising people, but it has only ten people to the square mile compared with England's 009, Scotland's 150, and Ireland's 137. We want to fill up the empty spaces to develop our fine resources. We are not lacking in financial resources, but it, is obvious that the Dominion's outstanding need is labor. Hence the Government's determination to carry on a vigorous policy of encouraging the emigrants from the Homeland, despite the short-sighted criticism of a few. extremists, who wish to preserve all the benefits of a favored limd for • bMrtful of jpeosle,"