IMMIGRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1922, Page 2

IMMIGRATION.

REPORTED DISCONTENT. TRUE POSITION STATED. With reference to the statement made by Mr. A. Spencer, president of the New Zealand Immigration and Land Settlement League to the New Zealand Farmers’ Union recently regarding immigration matters, saia the Hon. W. NosworI thy in the House: J wish to place tha following f’jcts before t,he House: Mr Spencer states that Mr. Massey said “that 10,000 immigrants had been absorbed into our population. This Wfts not so. and hi would defy Mr. Massey or anyone else to prove it.” As a matter of fact, the Prime Minister never made such a statement. What he did -say was ‘"that the population had increased from 0000 to 10,000 during tne first quarter of the year—a very much largei' proportion than usual.” However, I will now give you the correct figures concerning immigration from the Ist April, 1920, to date: April 1, 1920, to Marell 31, 1921 10,107 April 1. 1921, to March 31, 1922 7,005 April 1, 1922, to July 26, 1922 2,503 Total M 9,615 Of this total I can assure you that under 1 per cent, have left New Zealand. It will therefore be seen that the Dominion has successfully absorbed over 19,500 souls during the last two years and four months. Only a small proportion of this number have remained in the cities, the- balance having been absorbed in tl},(‘ country districts. It is a wellknown fact that the Government policy has been to assist in placing returned soldiers on the land, and for this reason it has not been possible to offer any assistance for the purpose of placing immigrants as settlers on the land on their arrival in New Zealand. The Government has made special provision whereby skilled labor for the primary industries has been secured for the Dominion and in time these same immigrants will become farmers on their own account. ft is the intention of the Government. to take advantage? of the State aided Empire settlement scheme in such a manner as will produce the best results for the benefit of New Zealand.