IMMIGRATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 335, 23 October 1908, Page 7

IMMIGRATION.

■ .. t GOVERNMENT POLICY CONDEMNED. VIEWS OF MINERS' CONFERENCE. "UNEMPLOYED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY." Tho Government's scheme of assisting irrfc. migrants from tho Old Country to settle in tho Dominion was warmly criticised by the New Zoalaud Federation of Minors at their confcrcnco yesterday. .' . Mr. Armstrong (Waihi) introduced the, matter. Ho said that he was not one of those who continually cried "stinking fish," and he knew that tho country would stand two or three times its present population. . But it could not stand a greatly increased population while tho means of production ,wero in tho hands of private enterprise., When tho Government's immigration scheme had been first introduced tho Trades and Labour Councils and the unions had entered a protest against it. Tho capitalistic press, .the employers, and many in the House of Representatives had remarked on the trades .unions passing their resolutions, and cousidiered that they were selfish. Exactly tho state ,of'affairs predicted by the Trades and Labour .Councils had come about now. He did not believe they were holding the people who were, being assisted to emigrate. Four, five, and six .hundred people were landing at'Auck-land-and Wellington from every steamer ar- ' riviug from tho Old Country, but every ship [that . left the Dominion was taking people away to seek employment in other countries. • A' cheek should be put on this sort of thing. It was not right that trade unionists should hold their tongues, while there were unemployed all over the country. The immigrants' were doubtless a good class of people, but ■while there were unemployed in the country it was wrong for tho Government to assist other workers into the land to' share tho misery of those already here. They were told' (the.country needed a good class of settlersjto open, up the back-blocks, hut the Governimcnt could not open up the land fast enough for their own people. Tho country was being boomed as the.paradise of the working mail, ■and unfortunate people were being misled jand deceived when brought here. If'the true position was placed before them, tho condi-: !tion of work, and the wages paid, there would bo very little inducement for workers ; to come from any other part of tho civilised world. They could find work oil tho northern' goldfields for three half-crowns a day. The .' workers must protest verv strongly against this. He would move-p"l'hat this federation protest against the policy of tho Government in regard to immigration." Mr. Newton (Grey Valley) said that as long as there were unemployed about tho Govern-, ment had ho right to bring anybody into the country to tax the people here. It was a deliberate waste of money to bring those peopleto Now Zealand at present. When the coun-' try was proporly dovclopod, it would require mors than double the present population, but there were quite sufficient people in the Dominion at this stage. Mr.'Fulton (Waikato) said that tho iraini- ' grants were, a desirable class of people, and many had dp to £1200. At the same time there were undesirables among them. It was a disgrace to. tho country ana its Parliament that suicides had taken' place among disappointed immigrants; It was for the conference to protest ill as stronglauguago as possible, and to say by unanimous vote that they were against the policy of the Government, in bringing men out of one condition, into another, just as bad or worse. Mr. Glover (Greymouth) testified that the country was very much over-advertised 'at Home. The people at Home, were mado to believe that New Zealand was a perfect paradise. To be. settled on tho West Coast was an eyo-opener. They never saw a rabbit on tho coast, unless it was a tame one, and thoy never saw any fish but fried ones in tho fishmonger's shop. It was about time 'the workers entered a protest. Ho himself was an assisted immigrant, :but> had ho known what ho knew now, it was most unlikely that New Zealand would have seen him. Mr. Hickoy (Blackball) remarked that many advertisements had appeared for miners on tho West Coast, and. the conditions were said to bo grand. It, had boon stated that there was splendid shooting: and'fishing to bo had in tho neighbourhood of Denniston. (Laughtor.) The only shooting to be had was volunteer target practice, arid tho only fishing wbb fishing for "pots." It would bo well if tin secretary wrote to some of tho miners' associations in the Old Country, giving them the true conditions. He would like to seo a clause ,to that effect included in the motion. (This wns dono) The chairman (Mr. R. Somplo, Dunolly) said he belioved these people were brought out to the Dominion with wrong ideas as to the prosperity of the country. _In protesting, the conference Was liot taking a selfish view of tho matter. Nine out of every ten of tho new arrivals were dissatisfied when they found .out the condition ot things. How was. it possible to put these people on the ■landv when' they had not enough rnonoy to buy . land Which would keep their families? A'man required .a nico. purse .to, buy a pieco "of"virgin bush, and the Government was not in a position to give any further assistance. If tho country was prosperous there would bB ..hardly any. need' for assisted immigration ; people would come quickly to share in • the general prosperity. In the hovels of the back streets of Wellington there was any amount of poverty ; landlordism was squeezing tho soul out of tlie people. While there were these conditions, it was quite wrong to welcome anybody doomed to participate m such things. ' ■ Mr. Foster (Denniston) said that it was a sin to have brought out some of the immigrants ho had met with. The; motion was carried unanimously.