OBSTACLES TO MIGRATION

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21909, 9 October 1936, Page 10

OBSTACLES TO MIGRATION

“DEPLETING BRITAIN’S MAN POWER”

VIEW OF AN ENGLISH OBSERVER

“Great Britain has not such a terrific surplus population for emigration. All her unemployed are not good candidates, and those that'are may not want to move.”

In this way Mr lan Bowater, a director of the British manufacturing firms of Bowaters and Edward Lloyds, summed up what he believed was a major problem requiring consideration in any scheme of large-scale Empire migration. He mentioned also the necessity of securing Great Britain against a possible depletion of her man power. Mr Bowater has travelled extensively in the Empire, and is acquainted with political trends in Britain. “It is sometimes believed that people have only to be asked to emigrate for them to do so,” he said. “Actually, there are two difficulties in the way of large-scale migration. One is the, unwillingness on the part of many suitable candidates to leave their homes; and the other is the question of depleting Great Britain’s man power. “The latest returns show 1,325,000 males totally unemployed in Great Britain. Of these, some are unemployable, and of the balance, in the event of any national emergency, each one Would be required. During recent months, increased employment has averaged 90,000. “Without saying that there is no place for emigration from Britain”. Mr Bowater ended, “these are points which must be considered when any large-scale scheme is being discussed.” ..

A model of a ship’s funnel correctly stayed, and with a miniature boatswain’s chair shackled to one of the stays, was an interesting exhibit at. an inquest at Auckland into the death of a Finnish seaman. The model and a slightly larger boatswain’s chair were made by an inspector of cargo gear for the Marine Department, Mr G. E. Brown, to demonstrate to the coroner the manner in which the seaman fell while using the chair, receiving injuries that led to his death. The use of a knot called the “fisherman’s bend” was involved in the securing of the chair, and the tying of this knot was demonstrated to the coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., by the master of the vessel.