IMMIGRATION.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 281, 1 June 1909, Page 8

IMMIGRATION.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, yesterday. IMic Hon. G. I'Vnvkls. 3iii)isicr Jor Imimirrsitimi. states tliiit the polJt-y of assisted passngcK from Great Hrilaiii is now so restricted ;is ])Tin:ti-f:illy not to intcrl'en' at all with lIk! stale of the lnhor nuirket in tlio towns. . "Tlie GovenmuMit." .said -\lr ■ l«'owlds to a. rc>i)C)i'tt.'r to-day, "is now only insisting (loincstic son-ants and agriculturists, and tiro, regulations are of such a. nature as. to- make it practically impossible for any other class to receive tlie benefit of tinlower passage; rates from Home. ■ Those, who have recently come out and ■ have paid the full amount of the pas-- ■ sago money far outnumber those who * have received assistance. This point j must not ho forgotten, that amongst the assisted persons there are the I wives, families, and near relatives of men who have already come out, men who have in many cases paid their ; own passages, and! having found the L conditions of life hero suitable, have rna'do application for help to lying •In ei-r familjos ont. Tliovo 'arc very fe.\v, I should imagine, of those who have received assisted passages -who. are amongst the unemployed in the ! towns. I should say," added the Minister,..- ''that probably more, than half of those, who are coming out are tlie wives or near relatives of people ■ already in the dominion. ■ The other half consist of agriculturists and domestic servants. The increased nuin- | ber of people who have, recently been . coming to this country is probably • owing to two causes, namely., the do- ■ pression in America, which has turn-ed-the stream of immigration from the United States and Canada to this and other countries, and the acute- \ ness of the depression in Great ; Britain itself-. Very careful examination is now being made by our officers at Home into the antecedents of | applicants for assisted -.passages. Under these circumstances,'.' concluded Mr Eowlds, "it would seem certain that only in an infinitesimal degree can the immigration policy of the Government have .affected the labor market in the towns and cities of. the • dominion." s