GENERAL BOOTH'S EMIGRATION SCHEME.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11872, 20 April 1904, Page 8

GENERAL BOOTH'S EMIGRATION SCHEME.

OdIH>EMXED BY NORTHERN LEGISLATORS.

I OUR.LAND LAWS RIDICULED

(SPJCCUL TO "XHB PBKSS.") AUCKLAND, April 19. The huge echeme which, under the title of an Imperial Labour Bureau, has been initiated by "General" Booth, with a view to the wholesale emigration of England's submerged classes, is just now receiving much attention. (Mr G. Fowlds, M.H.R., who was interviewed on the subject, eaid that if by the "submerged tenth classes" General Booth means honest, hard-working people, who at- present, owing to various economic conditions, are maintaining only a bare existence, there is plenty of room for any number of them in the colonies. Criminals, loafers, and people of vicious habits generally are obviously undesirable emigrants, and any attempt to foist them on the colonies would be promptly frustrated. But the case ia different with working class people, who. through no fault or failing of iheir own, find it difficult to make both ends meet in the Old Country. The emigration of such folk would tend to strengthen both the colonies and tho Empire, more especially if they are afforded opportunities to settle on the land, and develop aiciis at preseut lying idk. To dump impecunious emigrants down in large cities, whether in Australasia, Canada, or 'South Africa, would be to swell the- number of unemployed, and create new evils, not less in extent to those General Booth is apparently anxious to see ameliorated. We should have to alter our whole land system before we could receive and deal with euiigiants in any quantity. Wo liave about the most absurd system of putting, or, rather, preventing pt»ople from getting, on the land tliat the mind of man ever conceived. The ballot system teems with absurdities. An American millionaire might ruin hiinself~if he endeavoured to get hold of a small section .under the unlovely system, which would put him to the expense of travelling round the country attending ballots and what not, and at the finish not succeed in the quest. To regard each new comer as a deadly competitor is—to say the least of it —foolish in a country which, with facilities to support millions of people, has at present considerably under a million inliabitants. Properly viewed, each batch of industrious newcomers is going to make it easier to sustain the burd/n of the national d«bt., to make the railways more lucrative, and to raise the level of comfort all round. (Mr Fowlde thinks itvery doubtful whether there will be any practical outcome of General Boot-h"s idea. The Labour Party in Australia nppears to antagonise- the idea of offering encouragement to immigrant*, and as far as we ure concerned our law would have to be altered before we could deal with them in any numbers. The likely outcome is in the. direction of Canada, and there is no reason why there should not be a good deal don© in South Africa. There is no hope of the Colonial Government subscribing very largely to the fund. If funds for such a purpose nre to bs found at all they will have to be found by wealthy English people. Mr Bollard, M.H.R., was opposed to General "Booth's scheme in toto. "We have quite enough unemployed even 'nere in N«w Zealand, said Ec, "without adding to the number a proportion of the submerged classes of the Old Country. The place is already overrun with loafers and epeilers coming from other countries. Exactly what General Booth means by submerged emigrants is not. clear, take it they would come for the most part from the slum areas of the large towns and cities. Of 'what use' would such emigrants be to a small country like this, where small farmers and farm labourers are wanted. Put them on the land and no matter how willing they may be, failure will stare them in the face. Let us have emigration but not such as General Booth might be expected to send us. We stand in need of farmers' eons with a little 'money, and farm labourers used to pastoral and agricultural pursuits. Personally, I should be in favour of emigration agents being appointed to represent tlie advantages we have to offer for such classes, and should like to see our land laws made more liberal co as to • offer every inducement to desirable settlors. A great deal could be done in this way, but as for General Booth's sclieme we shall do well to leave it severely alone."