EMPIRE SETTLERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 May 1922, Page 5

EMPIRE SETTLERS.

TRAINING OF FARMERS. POLICY IN BRITAIN. Better scheme wanted. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received May 4, 9.10 p.m. London, May 3. A deputation of members of the House of Commons and educationalists waited on Colonel L. C. Amery and advocated the adoption of a national policy of systematically training schoolboys, girls, men and women, to fit them for emigration. Colonel Amery, replying, said the operations of the Overseas Settlement Committee had clearly demonstrated the futility of haphazard immigration. It would be not only difficult, but impossible, to supply the Dominions with an agricultural population from Britain’s industrial population. A system of giving prospective emigrants a thorough agricultural training in Britain was valueless, because the instruction had to be mostly unlearned on arrival in the Dominions. It was in the Dominions where practical training should be received, but preliminary training was necessary at home—something calculated to turn city boys into handy men, who would prove themselves most useful. This was especially valuable for boys leaving school before they entered a blind alley occupation, from stock exchange clerking to selling newspapers. South Australia had made a valuable commencement in such immigration. The Empire Settlement Bill would necessitate the creation of a series of private organisations throughout the Empire, which would supply the preliminary training to assist young folks here and welcome them in the Dominion. In this way he hoped the Bill would replace haphazard immigration by a system of organised, wasteless settlement, covering the vhole field from the preliminary training of boys and girls here to their establishment as farmers on their own account in the Dominions.

The House of Commons, in committee, passed a resolution approving payment not exceeding £150,000 in the current year and £3,000,000 in any subsequent year in -furthering the settlement of ex-service men in the Do-minions.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.