ASSISTED PASSAGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 10704, 30 March 1926, Page 5

ASSISTED PASSAGES.

CONDITIONS ON WAIMANA,

QUESTIONS IN THE COMMONS.

ALLEGED UNSUITABILITY.

(Per Press Association —Copyright.) (Reoeived This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, March 29. In the House of Commons, drawing attention to the Inter-Departmental Committee’s report making important recommendations in respect to migration, Sir C. Kmlock-Cooke (Conservative member for East Cardiff) asked it it were proposed to take any action to modify the Dominions’ restrictions upon assisted passages. The Secretary of State for the Dominions (Mr Amery) said the report had been forwarded to the Dominions Governments, who must be the bes judges of such matters. The whole question would be discussed at the Imperial Conference. Mr H. Day (Labour, Southwark Central) asked whether the authorities would hold an inquiry into the allegations that the Waimana, used to convev migrants to New Zealand, was totally unfitted for the purpose, that 900 passengers were cramped into ilLventilated six-berth cabins, and that there were only nine baths for ail tne migrants. _ , . , Sir R. Burton Chadwick (Conservative for Wallasey) said th© Waimana had been surveyed, and she complied with the regulations. Mr Day asked if Sir Burton Chadwick had reoeived a complaint from 250 passengers that the ventilation was bad and the food abominable; also that' toward the end of the voyage twopence was charged for a glass of water. Sir Burton Chadwick replied m the negative, hut stated that if were supplied he would have them investigated. . Captain R. Gee (Conservative for Bos worth) asked if Sir Burton would get the regulations altered. Sir Burton Chadwick replied that he was not aware they were bad. They had proved satisfactory in many ships.

The report of the Inter-Depart-mental Committee appointed to consider the effect of schemes of social insurance on migration, stated: “We have fully discussed possible methods of counteracting the adverse effect of unemployment insurance and poor-law relief* which have appreciably discouraged migration at the precise ages •wlien, other things being equal, the opportunities of life overseas should ■ prove very attractive. We believe that when openings in the Dominions are made more attractive, as they should be with improved trade, if a holder and more comprehensive scheme for development and settlement were undertaken and the restrictions on assisted migration, especially on families and women, are modied, social insurance will have comparatively little effect in the way of discouraging migration.”