The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. THURSDAY, MAY 10. 1923. WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 110, 10 May 1923, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

THURSDAY, MAY 10. 1923. WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING.

For the eatue that lacks qaeiaranM, For the wrong that needs re«i«(ane*| For the future in the distance, Ami the good that we can «te.

The member of the English Govern- [ ment who has done more than anyone, t else to promote organised migration < within the Empire, Colonel Amery, has done a further service to the cause by summarising-, in an article in the current ' ".Empire Review," the development of this policy eince the war, and what the Dominions have done to take advantage of the epoch-making Act of last year. Colonel Amery reminds us how recent is the recognition of the wisdom of promoting migration within the Empire. • "For fifty years before the war the British Government had been entirely without a migration policy. There was no effort of any kind to influence or direct the flow of our human capital in any direction; suggestions made at Imperial conferences that we should favour migration to the dominions rather than to foreign countries,- were, . even as recently as 1907, |scouted as '. absurd." He traces the evolution of ! policy during the last few years, culmi- '. noting in the Empire, settlement Act-.of 1922, which authorises the British Government to co-operate by grant or ( loan or otherwise in any schemes of , settlement in the Dominions with the . Governments of those countries, or with publio or private authorities in the . United Kingdom or overseas. It is characteristic of Colonel Amery'e insight [ and thoroughness that he persuaded the ' official world at Home to drop the words ! "emigration ,, and "emigrant, ,, because ' they "conveyed suggestions of expatria- ' toon, loss of citizenship, and severance of . home ties, altogether inappropriate in 1 the case of those who simply changed {< their domicile in order to settle in some ' other part of the same commonwealth." \ "Migration," "migrant," "Empire settle- , ment," and "settler" are now used i officially where the Empire is concerned. ' Provision is made for fifteen years ' ahead, but although the Act has been , less than one year on the Statute Book i several schemes under it are already in i' operation, and a considerable number of others are in various stages of negotiation. We particularly wish to draw i attention to the facts of accomplishment 1 cited by Colonel Amery, for they show ' how far New Zealand is. being out- ! distanced, and how apathetic our Govern- ■ ment is compared with some others. • West Australia has undertaken t* find ' occupation on the land within three ■ years for 75,000 British settlers, and to !' establish about 6000 men out of these' i on farms of their own. The Common- | ■ wealth Government raises the money for ' the State, and Britain contributes to- , wards the interest payments. Victoria < plans to settle 2000 persons on farms of ' their own . during the next eighteen ' months, which is only the first instalment of a scheme for putting 10,000 fanners on the land. New South Wales is bringing forward a scheme under ' which six millions are to be spent on the settlement of 6000 farmers. Other schemes are being, discussed with private organisations. New Zealand is dismissed !' in a paragraph of five lines, which says that the Dominion tas an agreement ' with the British Government for joint ' payment of passage money, "but has co I far not come forward with any settle- ' ment scheme." The apathy of New Zealand in this respect was thrown into relief the other day when an English Commission specially invited to visit '' Australia in connection with this settle-! • ment policy passed through Wellington. I' The 'New Zealand Government had taken !' no steps to invite such inspection by i this Commission,.or any other body, and ' the visitors had to get in touch with the authorities in order to make their pre-! Mince known. The fact is that in immigration policy we are sound asleep in New Zealand, and the proddingy of the ' Press and of immigration leagues do not suffice to rouse the Government to t> sense of its duties and opportunities. It j has no vision, and declines to even listen j to those who realise that in the opening; up and. development of our lands by the] right type of overseas settler the future prosperity of this country is involved. I