IMMIGRATION POLICY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10134, 11 June 1924, Page 3

IMMIGRATION POLICY.

EX-SOLDIERS' VIEWS.

PROGRESSIVE POLICY URGED. The subject of immigration was discussed at the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association in Christchurch yesterday, when on behalf of the Immigration Committee, Mr B. J. Jacobs submitted a report recommending that a progressive immigration policy.was necesI sary. Before such a policy could be I inaugurated, they considered that the Government should bring down a progressive land policy providing for the I immediate development of all suitable unoccupied lands other than those set apart for forestry, whether owned by the Crown or by private individuals, such lands to be made available for close settlement. (2) That the Government endeavour to obtain from the Imperial Government a grant of sufficient funds for the training and settlement of ex-Imperial soldiers. The committee also recommended that in view of the reported success and utility of similar institutions in other Dominions the Government should consider the appointment of local honorary immigration committees in each of the; large centres to work in conjunction with the Immigration Department. The duty of the committees would be to- welcome and endeavour to find employment for immigrants who were not farmers.

Mr J. McCrae (Otago) supported the recommendations and urged that the Government should throw open more land for immigrants.

Mr W. E. Leadley (Canterbury) said he considered that New Zealand should be able to absorb more than 8000 immigrants a year. He sxipported 'the idea of local committees, referring to the success of these committees in Australia.

Mr W. A. Aid-red (Auckland) spoke of the different farming conditions in England and New Zealand. There should be some way of training the men for New Zealand farm work. Otherwise, they would throw farms up and would swell the population of the towns.

Mr H. B. Burdekin (Wellington) spoke of the danger of an Asiatic invasion now that the Singapore base had been abandoned. It is now more necessary than ever that the country should be populated with white people. Mr G. W. Lloyd (Temuka) said that immigration should not bo gone on with while there was unemployment in the country. The chairman (Mr D. S, Smith) said that in the interests of the defence of the country and the necessity of keeping the country white, there should be a population of at least 5,000,000. Mr R. B. Bell (Canterbury) said that more care should be exercised in selecting the type of immigrants. They should not take more immigrants than the country could a-bsorb. Mr Leadley moved that a sub-com-mittee, consisting of Messrs Smith, Bell and Jacobs, should be set up to bring down a suitable resolution. This was seconded and carried.

I During the luncheon adjournment, the sub-committee met, and submitted ; the following resolution, which was adopted: "That in the interests of defence in New Zealand, and for ensuring a white New Zealand, it is necessary that a progressive immigration policy adapted to these ends should be inaugurated as a national policy, and vigorously prosecuted by any Government holding office in New Zealand for the time being; and in particular that this policy should include measures (taken in co-operation with the Imperial Government) for the settlement of suitable ex-Imperial soldiers in New Zealand."