POPULATION AND PROSPERITY

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 75, 27 March 1912, Page 8

POPULATION AND PROSPERITY

A PLEA FOR IMMIGRATION,

(By Telegraph.—Own _orr.sp__6ont.li

WELLINGTON, this dftv.

Some interesting comments are contained in the report of Mr. 11. C. Tewslcy (president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce). The president again emphasised his remarks at the last annual meeting by saying that what New Zealand wanted, and wanted badly, was more agricultural population. "Ours is essenitiaily a producing country," he added. , "which should have an agricultural population four times what it has. Were I ill the present unenviable position of Prime Minister of this Dominion, I would make all other considerations subservient to the introduction of the right stamp of sturdy, healthy men and women to cultivate our land, at the same time endeavouring to evolve a form of land tenure that would reasonably provide for the greatert number. Other countries in the Empire are alive to the advantages to be gained by increased population of the right sort. One has only to consider the inducements that Canada offers, j or, nearer home. Western Australia, to jbe impressed with the necessity for offering advantages to bring settlers to our shores. If we contrast the percentage of producers in this Dominion with that of tho distributers and manufacturers of secondary products introduced into New Zealand, the want of proportion is at once apparent. This fact partly accounts for the high cost per head of taxation, which, combined with the cost ox the advanced luxuries of our social life, having outstripped our producing capacity, will 1 be felt for years to come unless we can increase our productive population, and so- dividie and reduce the burden,"