WAY TO GET IMMIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 174, 23 July 1907, Page 5

WAY TO GET IMMIGRANTS.

A REMARKABLE LETTER.

LEAGUE ASKS PRESIDENT TO

RESIGN.

(Received 10.25 a_m.)

SYDNEY, this day.

The Immigration League resents the action of Dr. Arthur, its president, in writing letters, some of which they allege are too roseate-hued, with regard to the prospects for emigrants. Matters reached a crisis over a letter sent to the secretary of the Victorian League in which Dr Arthur suggested the placing of pamphlets containing information about the States on board of the mail steamers, In this letter he said: "Don't mix up immigration and land settlement in your pamphlet in the immigration book. Everything must be colenr de rose, and there should be no hint of any difficulty about getting land. You needn't be afraid you will be rushed. Even when Jneensland offered cheap farms in London there was only one applicant. As regards land settlement for home (Victorian) consumption, you can be as pessimistic end indignant as you like—the blacker the bettor; though don't get too much on the line of ~Wnat is the use of inviting immigrants here when we have nothing to offer tncmf That would chofee off tab' scriptions. Anyhow don't do anything to frighten off immigrants, because the competition fer them is so severe in Europe, and even if conditions changed for the better in Victoria, you might iind that it was of no avail, as you had given the i place a bad reputation."

The Immigration League will now ask Dr Arthur to refrain from seeking reelection as president. Dr Arthur declares that the letter was private and that he was giving his counsel in colloquial terms. That nothing should be done to retard the movement did not mean to .suggest that people should be deceived. MELBOURNE, this day. The Federal Government is interested in the immigration trouble, because some of the money voted by Parliament last year has gone to different portions of the Immigration League's organisation. Ministers recognise that good work has been done hy Dr Arthur, but are inclined to think that he allowed zeal to outrun discretion. Nobody, they say, wants immigrants to come here in ignorance of Australian conditions. „ The State Acting-Premier, commenting on Dr Arthur's methods of attracting immigrants, said he utterly disapproved of any method which would not bear the closest scrutiny. The position should be stated exactly, as it existed, and then no new-comer could say that he had been deceived either by painting things too attractively or by suppressing facts.