D.—9

1927. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION (ANNUAL REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sir, — Department of Immigration, sth July, 1927. Herewith I have the honour to submit the annual report upon the immigration which has taken place into New Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year 1926-27. I have, &c., H. D. Thomson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of Immigration, Wellington.

REPORT. The immigration policy as laid down in 1921 has been carried out practically in its entirety, the only variation being that for the past year it was found necessary to increase the annual quota from 10,000 to 13,500. Strange as it may seem, the reason for this increase in numbers was the same as that which caused the decrease in last year's figures —namely, the congestion brought about by the shipping strike of 1925. This congestion became so great that at the beginning of 1926 there were some four thousand approved migrants awaiting embarkation, and as at that time nominations were being received at the rate of one hundred per week, or, in other words, 13,000 souls per annum, it will be seen how necessary it was for the Government to increase the numbers to the maximum of 13,500 for the year ending the 31st March, 1927, it being considered that this quota could be absorbed without disturbing the economic or industrial conditions of the Dominion. In normal years the allotment of berthingaccommodation by the shipping companies to the New Zealand Government amounts to between eight and nine thousand berths, but as the position at this time had become abnormal it was necessary to arrange for extra steamers to make special trips ; five such trips were made during the year, carrying in all 3,022 migrants. This number in reality practically represents the increase on last year's figures. During the year a new passage-rate agreement was entered into with the Imperial Government, which had the effect from the Ist December, 1926, of still further reducing the fares for assisted migrants from the United Kingdom to New Zealand. The following scale will show the current rates, and also the contributions by the Imperial and the New Zealand Governments : —

Scale of Passage Rates, showing Contributions by Imperial and New Zealand Governments.

The Imperial contribution is made under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922, section 2, subsection (b), and since the placing upon the statute-book of this Act the New Zealand Government lias received in grants £328,810, in loans £11,215 ; whilst the migrants have received in loans £8,987, making in all a total of £340,025. So far as the migrants' loan-money is concerned, it comprises 1,044 individual

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Imperial New Zealand Government Government Amount Class. Contribution Contribution payable by Total Fare. to each to each Migrant. Migrant. Migrant. I j . ■ f £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Children under three years of age .. j 4 2 6 4 2 6 Free 8 5 0 Children over three years but under twelve 8 5 0 8 5 0 Free 16 10 0 years Women and girls over twelve years but under . 16 10 0 1610 0 Free 33 0 0 forty years of age (including domestics) Boys over twelve years but under nineteen 16 10 0 16 10 0 Free 33 0 0 years of age Single men over nineteen years (including 1100 1100 1100 33 00 farm labourers) Married men and women (including widows 11 0 0 11 0 0 11 0 0 3-3 0 0 and widowers with children)