EMPIRE’S PEOPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1922, Page 5

EMPIRE’S PEOPLE.

BETTER DISTRIBUTION. CONGESTION AT HOME. OPPORTUNITY OVERSEAS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received Feb. 12, 11.5 p.m. London, Feb. 11 The report of the Overseas Settlement Committee says the present situation is unsatisfactory, both in this country ana overseas. There is congestion of population and grave unemployment here. Special measures of relief, however necessary they may be, are very costly, and afford no permanent cure. Overseas lands are calling out for development and cultivation. In Canada the need for larger numbers of settlers is vital and urgent, while in Australia the lack of population is a source of danger to the Empire’s safety, and its very existence depends upon the successful solution of the difficulties arising from the congestion in the United Kingdom and the lack of British population in the Dominions. The best remedy for the present evils will be found in a strong policy of State-aided Empire settlement. The Premiers’ Conference laid the foundation for such a policy, and it remains for His Majesty’s Government to give a lead to the Dominion Governments by the adoption of measures to carry out that resolution. The committee believe the interests of the Empire will be best served by co-operation between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the Dominions in carrying out a scheme of Empire settlement upon the largest scale their finances will allow. The chief steps should be: (1) Legislation enabling the Governments to co-operate in a permanent policy; (2) to convince Labor here and overseas that the laissez faire policy will be abandoned, and one of the chief objects will be to provide the working classes with fresh openings and brighter prospects in a healthy life upon the land; (3) to closely consult Labor and reinforce Labor representation on the Oversea Settlement Committee; (4) to insist on improved methods of selection and improved arrangements for receiving and placing settlers on the land, with the provision of training farms for men and training in household work for women; (5) to encourage particularly the settlement of the young.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

EMIGRATION.

PERMANENT AND CONTINUOUS. BRITISH FINANCIAL AID. London, Feb. 10. Mr. Churchill, replying to a deputation, pledged Government financial co-operation with the Dominions in establishing permanent and continuous emigration. He hoped to pass a Bill dealing with the subject this session. The emigration deputation included Lord Sydenham, Sir Arthur Stanley, Sir Henry Galway, Lord Buxton, the Hon. Thomas Langdon, also representatives of the Colonial Institute Emigration Committee, the British Dominions Emigration Committee, the Crown Colonies Committee, the Y.W.C.A., Salvation Army, Church Emigration Society, Child Emigration Society, Public Schools Emigration Organisation, and the British Women’s Federation.

Lord Sydenham, introducing it, stated that it was the most representative deputation on emigration ever organised. He believed the prosperity of the Empire depended on migration. Britain was overpopulated, while some of the Dominions, especially Australia, were exposed to real danger owing to under-population. The redistribution of population within the Empire was not a sectional, but an Imperial question. Independent action on the part of any one Dominion was futile, and private action was impracticable. Whatever scheme was ultimately adopted it must be under the joint co-operation and supervision of the British and Dominion Governments.

Sir Arthur Stanley, formerly Governor of Victoria, pointed out that the cost of public relief in the United Kingdom in 1890 was only 25 millions; now it was 330 millions. Mr. Churchill interjected: “How do you arrive at those figures? The unemployment benefit is about 100 millions.”

Sir Athur Stanley replied that the figures were Mr. Geoffrey Drage’s compilation. They embraced all forms of public relief. He continued that, during his residence in Australia, he found the directors of public opinion greatly concerned in reference ro under-population. The natural increase was insufficient. ,

He understood that the Labor Party in Britain did not favor emigration, nor did the Labor Party in Australia. He believed the opposition in both cases was honestly based on economic objections, which were removable by guaranteeing rural settlement for immigrants from the day of their arrival, thereby preventing them competing with nfetropolitan labor, while creating employment. He strongly commended the schemes Senator Millen submitted to the Colonial Office Immigration Conference, under which immigrants proceeded direct to partially prepared settlements.

His Australian experience convinced him that .it would be dangerous to place settlers on undeveloped lands. Victoria possessed many areas capable of closer settlement, si also did New South Wales and possibly other States. The estimated cost of placing each settler was over £lOOO. He proposed the grants be divided between preparing settlements and financing settlers. An emigration deputation, headed by Miss Oldham on behalf of women’s societies advocated family migration on the Canadian plan, particularly of women and children.

Mr. Churchill, replying, recognised that Britain which -had heretofore been the power-house or the Empire, was now overcrowded, while the Dominions offered possibilities of a new and wider life which was insufficiently exploited owing to inadequate co-operation.

“On these lines,” he said, “lies the main path to achievement on which the Imperial Government is endeavoring to advance in regard to the consolidation of the British Empire at the present time.” It was necessary that the problem should be dealt with by competent and experienced migrationists, therefore he proposed to enlist Mr. Amery’s co-operation. He hoped the Imperial Conference emigration resolution would soon have effect. The Government Bill, announced in the King’s speech, had already been drafted, and finances had been promised by the Treasury and authorised by the Cabinet, even in these hard times. He believed there would be a substantial provision for Empire settlement. He would do all in his power to assist the movement, which demanded continuity, persistence, perseverance and generous financial assistance. He deprecated spasmodic and fluctuating migrations. One year’s experiments would be futile. In ten years they would begin

to get results 50 years would produce changes in the groupings of the world’s population, while a century would probably effect a revolution in the balance of the world’s population. He appealed to the deputation to create a strong body of Empire opinion in favor of promoting inter-imperial migration. He hoped this year the Government would secure legislation to lay the foundation of a great continuous scheme of State-aided migration from these islands, which should be as elastic as possible to meet the views of the Domtaions.