MIGRANTS OF EMPIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 99, 28 April 1922, Page 5

MIGRANTS OF EMPIRE.

ASSISTANCE FROM BRITAIN. HOUSE PASSES THE BILL. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, April 27. During the discussion in the House of Commons to-day on the second reading of the Empire Settlement Bill, Mr. J. R- Clynes, Labour member for the Platting Division of Manchester, said that while some might support the bill under the impression that emigration would relieve the burden of unemployment, as' a matter of fact it did not touch the root cause of unemployment. He feared that Colonel Amery would be disappointed in, the ultimate consequence of the working of the bill. He could not accept Colonel Amery's conclusions that it was advantageous to neglect trade opportunities in Europe in order to cultivate closer economic trade relations with the Dominions. He hoped no attempt would be made to subsidise private agencies like the shipping companies, who were merely pecuniarily interested in emigration. He asked whether the Dominion Labour organisations hud been consulted. Mr. D. McLean, Labour member for Govan division of Glasgow, said he hoped that free passages for ex-service men would remain open another year, and that the fraudulent emigration agent drawing fanciful pictures of conditions that really did not exist in the ' Dominions would be swept away. The removal of land restrictions in Britain would mitigate the need for the present measure. Major Sir Xewton Moore, Coalition Unionist member for Islington j North, and formerly Premier and later ' Agent-General for Western Australia, ' expressed disappointment at the smallness of the first year's expenditure, when there already were three definite ! Australian schemes ready to launch. Sir Frederick Young, Coalition Union- '_ ist member for Swindon, said the bill offered only a slight immediate contribution toward the solution of unemployment. Eventually, if a long view 1 prevailed, it would prove a great factor ' in that connection. Australia afforded great opportunities for settlement if expenditure were confined to schemes definitely offering emigrants a proper livelihood. He favoured extension of the boy emigration scheme. Colonel J. C. Wedgwood, Labour member for Xewcastle-under-Lyme, said the Labour members could not be enthusiastic regarding assisting people to go to Australia when they could more cheaply be enabled to take up small holdings in Britain. Major 'Wood, Under-Secretary for the : Colonies, in replying to the debate, admitted thnt the bill was not a panacea 0 for all industrial ills, but it would ease . the situation by (riving people opportunities in remaking their' lives else- ■ where, where they would benefit the , Home trade and commerce. The second reading was carried. — (A. ™ and X.Z.. Cable.)