EMPIRE MIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1922, Page 5

EMPIRE MIGRANTS.

■i m i HELP FROM MOTHERLAND. CO-OPERATION WITH THE DOMINIONS. PASSAGES AND FINANCE. (By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright.l LONDON, April 26. Colonel I* C. M. A- Amery (chairman of the Overseas Committee), in moving the second reading of the Empire Settlement Bill, pointed out that a large proportion of ex-service nxm emigrated under the earlier overseas settlement committee's scheme would probably have emigrated of their own accord if the war had not broken out. A considerable percentage of ex-service men thus sent out were now progressing well towards substantial prosperity. If they had remained the majority would certainly have needed unemployment benefits, and the cost of their passages was, therefore, well spent. The present bill enabled the Colonial Secretary and the Overseas Settlement Committee to co-operate with both overseas Governments and responsible private I organisations in approved emigration schemes. It should be remembered that Britain had a surplus of 13 millions of women, •while the shortage ot' women in the Dominions was prejudicing- tlieir social life. The first year's Imperial expenditure was limited to £ 1,125,000. Two millions would make possible the assisting of 00,000 to 80,000 persons a year. Before long lie believed the House would regard the amount as quite inadequate, but in view of the present financial difficulties, and with the object of gaining experience, he had prepared a substantial instalment of a. larger future policy. The Imperial expenditure was contingent upon Dominions undertaking considerably larger expenditure on land settlement. I Direct settlement of men on the land I must be the foundation of any policy of economic regeneration of the Empire. After the first year Imperial expenditure would be £3,000,000 annually, of which aibout £1,000,000 would be devoted to the provision of passages on a half-and-half basis with the Dominions. He commended the bill 88 a first step towards the Empire's; economic recovery and an economical unprovocative measure of Imperial defence. Mr. -I. R. Clynes pointed out that while some might support the bill under the impression that emigration would relieve the burden of unemployment, as a matter of fact the bill did not touch the root cause of unemployment. He feansd that Colonel Amery would be disappointed in the ultimate consequence of the working of the bill Mt. Clynes could not accept Colonel Amery'a conclusions that it was advantageous to neglect trade opportunities in Europe in order to cultivate clo6er economic trade relations with the Dominions. He hoped no attempt would be made to Biibsidiec private agencies like the shipping companies, who were merely pecuniarily interested in emigration. He asked whether the Dominion Labour organisations had been consulted. — (A. and X.Z. Cable.)