CANADA'S STATUS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19480, 29 November 1928, Page 8

CANADA'S STATUS.

LEGATIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. MR MACKENZIE KING ON .MIGRATION. (rP.O!X OIM O'AK conr.E3ro:;EEKT.) LONDON, October 10. The Et. Hon. W. L. Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, is visiting London. At a dinner given in his honour by the Canada Club he referred to constitutional matters ■which are peculiar to- the Dominion. "Self-governn.ent," he said, "is the inheritance which is ours in the virtue of. the British Constitution. It is selfgovernment which has kept and which keeps, and which will continue to keep, the British Dominions loyal to the British Crown. Let that fact never be forgotten, for an understanding of all the rest presupposes a full knowledge of it. "If, over thirty years ago, the principle of entrusting Canadian interests to Canadians was sound with respect to the negotiations of a commercial treaty, is not the principle equally sound of entrusting to Canadians the representation of Canadian interests wherever and whenever existing circumstances appear to disclose the wisdom or necessity of such a step? I submit all N that has transpired in that interval of time how very sound it is. Logical Last Step. "The establishment of a Canadian Legation in Paris, as in Washington, is but the logical last step in the many steps which have marked the full attainment of self-government by Canada with respect to Canadian interests, whether domestic or external. "And here I need scarcely say that the step which has been taken in the establishment of the Canadian Legations, alike in the United States and France, has been taken not only with the consent and goodwill of -the Government of Great Britain and of His Majesty's Ambassadors in Washington and in Paris, but with the active and helpful co-operation of both." Migration Policy. Mr King also outlined very clearly and concisely the Canadian Government's policy in regard to migration. The problem, lie said, in effect, resolved itself largely in an endeavour to find the happy mean between two extremes. On the one side, the Government had to resist pressure from the class which desired unrestricted labour, and at the same time equally to avoid falling into the'trap set by those desirous of unduly restricting the inflow of immigrants, and thereby keeping up wages. "I wish, once and for all, to say here and now," he added, "that Canada wants immigrants, that, above all, she wants them from the British Isles, from England, Scotland, and Ireland,' and that she is prepared to receive all who, as a part of the natural flow of emigration from the British Isles to the Dominions, are prepared to come." So far as physical fitness, mental condition and moral character of immigrants were concerned, Canada did not demand one iota moro thau England, Scotland, or Ireland demanded of those who sought entrance to the' British Isles. To certain classes from Britain Canada was prepared ,to grant assistance, which would not. be given to immigrants from other What •they were not prepared to do —and this he believed.accounted for most, if not all, the misrepresentation which had taken place with respect to alleged restrictions —was to pay for all classes ■regardless of whether 'their previous associations, ' occupations, or . their training fitted, them for the particular classes of work for which thcro was a special clemand. Mr King finally referred to the fatlacy that, migrants of non-British stock were preferred. As showing how. false and misleading such an inference-was, the Canadian Prime Minister cited the report of an all-Party Committee of the Dominion Parliament, 'which found that while 16.75 dollars per head was expended, from Canadian funds on settlers from the British Isles, only 11 cents were spent on immigrants from Europe.