EMPIRE SETTLEMENT

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 94, 15 January 1926, Page 10

EMPIRE SETTLEMENT

WHAT NEW ZEALAND IS DOING

A CREDITABLE RECORD SETTLERS SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED Repeated references in the cablegrams to the necessity for a comprehensive scheme of Em. pirc settlement, raise the query: What is the Dominion doing in this direction? Inquiries made yesterday established the fact that New Zealand is doing its full share towards relieving Britain’s surplus population troubles.

It was -officially ascertained that approvals for migrants from the United Kingdom to New Zealand are averaging 1000 a month, a useful increase on the averages for the same period last year, when the figure stood at 800. Recent official advices from Home mention that the berthing reservations up to the end of next month are 4250. In this connection, however, the effect of the recent maritime trouble has to be taken into consideration, and as a result of the dislocation created, the berthing reservations will fall short of the requirements by about 1000. In other words, had there been no congestion, arrangements could have been made for the Dominion to absorb an additional 1000 immigrants; and since the. .problem of Empire settlement is an acute one, it is hard on New Zealand that, a plan which was working perfectly smoothly should receive a temporary check of this character. It is known that, but for the seamen’s strike, the vear would have been a record one for immigration, as far as New Zealand is concerned. The Immigration Department’s experience since the inauguration of the scheme has been that the new-comers have been successfully absorbed. During the past five years up to the present date approximately 46,000 Government assisted migrants have arrived in the country, and of that number, according to' the official figures, the failures do not amount to one per cent. Surveying the manner in which the newlyarrived settlers, who are granted loans, meet their obligations when repaym--time arrives, it is interesting to note that at the present time there are in existence about 700 cases in which migrants were obliged to borrow the passage money on a fifty-fifty basis from the Imperial and New Zealand Governments; and of that number only five per cent, have failed to pay the first instalment on due date. Some time ago advice was received here that the percentages of losses on Canadian and Australian loans was very high, and from the frank statements made from time to time by the Overseas Committee it seems that New Zealand is regarded as (to borrow one of the expressions used) “the- one bright spot in immigration.” An important aspect of the Dominion’s immigration scheme is the placing on the land of English public school boys. The quota up to the end of January was filled some time ago, and it is expected that the February party will be the last until May. Since the initiation of the scheme approximately 352 bovs have been placed with New Zealand farmers, and judging by the correspondence received at the London office parents have been more than satisfied with what the Government has done. An interim report submitted to the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce earlv in December showed that of the 115 'boys so far brought out to Taranaki all but four had made good or were making good. A proportion of boys, it was found, were not adapted to farming, and these had been found positions in the town, and were doing well. The concluding paragraph of the report will bear reproduction: “Boys are not being brought out to provide cheap labour for farmers,” it pointed out. “Tliev are being brought out to strengthen the Dominion and to relieve the Old Country. The training of boys should be regarded, as a national dutv, as the farmers’ contribution towards Empire settlement, and we are glad to sav that the great majority of farmers entrusted with the training of . boys take this view of their responsibilities.” In addition to the 352 public school bovs mentioned above, a total of 146 bovs have been brought out under the Flock House scheme, and 174 by the Salvation Army. This makes the total 672, but within the course of a few davs the 700 mark will have been passed; Arriving by the Arawa on Tuesday next are 30 Flock House bovs and ten public school bovs, and on Janaury 23,ex the Rualiine, there will be a further ten public school boys.