The Press Monday, October 5, 1936. Empire Migration

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21905, 5 October 1936, Page 8

The Press Monday, October 5, 1936. Empire Migration

A contribution to the discussion on Empire migration has been made by Lord Elibank, president of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce'of the British Empire, and words he spoke while referring specifically to the Ottawa agreements are just as applicable to this question of migration; “There will always be “some sacrifices in arriving at a common end “ amongst a group of countries, but if the re- “ suits in the aggregate justify these sacrifices, “then these should be made.” There was §n obvious truth uttered by Lord Elibank when he said that no country could afford to remain static, and a young country less than any other. In Europe the great nations are making a drive for increased population, but New Zealand, likfe some other countries, is allowing natural increase to go on at far too slow a pace. In recent years there has been chronic retrogression in the birth rate, and it can be plainly seen that NeW Zealand must add to its population if new industries are to be established and existing ones strengthened. , The Government is naturally fearful of the resumption of immigration at a time when unemployment is still a problem crying for solution, but -there is no chance of unemployment being banished if'the country carries on as it is doing at present. It is beyond the wit of this Government, or of any government, to cure unemployment while the Dominion is in a static condition, and this point is made abundantly dear in another remark of Lord Elibank’s. “ I “ believe,” he said, “ that the residue of unem- “ ployment which is left in the Dominions will “ be more quickly reduced by bringing in fresh “people, because they will not only create em- “ ployment for themselves, but more employ“ment for others. 1 ' The secondary industries of the Dominion have been hampered in the past by a limited market for their output, and they must be hampered similarly in the future unless their markets are enlarged. What the Government should be able to see, and what every reasonable New Zealander should be able to see, too, is that this is still a pioneering country in which an enormous amount of pioneering work has yet to be done. It is fantastic to think that a country capable of supporting such a large population should 'be allowed to remain as it is in a land-hungry world. The first Dominion government to approach the immigration question with courageous determination must win the gratitude of Great Britain, for the problem of unemployment is one of the most exacting in the hands of the British Government. Of course, resumption of migration would not ease unemployment to an appreciable extent, for the desirable migrants would come in small part from the ranks of the unemployed. Settlers would have to be carefully selected and prepared for their new labour, but there would be no need to fear the advent of the better type of migrants; they would come from the stock which was good enough to settle the Dominions in the first place. Each unit in the British Empire to-day should regard its individual strength and development as an obligation to all otjher units of the British Commonwealth. And no Dominion can develop or be as strong as it should while remaining in a static condition. The apparent desire to risk nothing by refusing to admit the obvious enough fact that population transference is a vital need is based upon a selfish form of timidity. New Zealand would find that a- larger population pays, and at the same time stout British migrants would’ be able to take their part in the building work which many more governments must do before this 7 country has come appreciably nearer to the fulfilment of its destiny in the Pacific.