MORE POPULATION NEEDED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 124, 19 February 1938, Page 11

MORE POPULATION NEEDED

Deputation’s Advocacy SCHEME OF PLANNED MIGRATION Consideration Promised By Ministers Migration on a planned and properly organised scale was advocated by a representative deputation which' waited upon the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser (who deputised for the Prime Minister, Kt. Hon. M. J. Savage), and the Minister in charge of Immigration, lion. H. T. Armstrong, yesterday. The deputation suggested a clear declaration by the New Zealand people and the Government that the migrant and and his capital were welcome, the opening of negotiations with tile British Government, and the appointment of a Royal Commission to explore every avenue of absorption. Careful consideration by the Government of the deputation’s representations was promised by the Ministers.

The following organisations were represented by the deputation Dominion Settlement Association; Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union; Salvation Army of New Zealand; Wellington Employers’ Association ; Y.M.C.A. National Headquarters; New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation ;. Wellington Drapers, Clothiers, Mercers and Boot Retailers’ Association; Wellington Chamber of Commerce; Wellington General Carriers and Forwarding Agents; New Zealand Institute of Architects: 'Wellington Private Hotelkeepers’ Industrial Union of Employers; English-Speaking Union; Wellington Manufacturers’ Association ; New Zealand Football Association ; United Kingdom Manufacturers and New Zealand Representatives, Licensed Victuallers’ Association of New Zealdnd; New Zealand Electrical Traders’ Federation of New Zealand; Associated Chambers of Commerce; New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association; Churches of Christ; Congregational Church; Farmers’ Co-operative Federation of New Zealand. 80 branches; Church of England; Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. Patriotic Motives. The chief spokesman was the chairman of the Dominion Settlement Association, Mr. A. Leigh Hunt. He said the deputation represented 24 organised bodies, with a membership of about 100,000. and he believed that they had the support of 1,000,000 fellowcitizens in what they advocated. “We represent no party or particular section,” said Mr. Hunt. “We make bold to say that we are actuated by the highest patriotic motives. We ask nothing for ourselves; we are concerned more with posterity than ourselves; and we place above all other considerations security- under the British flag. We- feel, therefore, that we can speak earnestly and directly.” Looking at world affairs to-day, added Mr. Hunt, there were three highly disturbing factors. All nations were arming to the teeth, international relations were deteriorating, and rapidly declining-population in the western nations was imminent. When they realised how defenceless New Zealand was, and what might happen if Britain were engaged in a life and death struggle, they felt they were in some measure liviug in a fools paradise. There was little wonder that the thinking iteople of New Zealand were alarmed. Reference was made by Mr. Hunt to the steadily declining birth rate. In addition to that factor there was the loss by migration. In the last four vears New Zealand had lost 9000 persons through migration to other countries. New Zealand’s economic structure was based on an expanding population. The • secondary industries required an expanding and not a declining - population to exist, let alone progress, and the people looked to increasing population tfi relieve the Dominion’s per capita debt and taxation.

Lower Living Standard.

Mr. Hunt said that with a declining population it seemed certain that all pension and superannuation funds ■would become bankrupt', and that the present standard of liviug must decline. With the possibility of a shrinkage in the capacity of the British market to absorb our goods owing to a declining population there, the only remedy was for New Zealand to gain population and consume its products here. The birthrate was too slow, even at the old ratio of 47 a thousand. Migration was the only resource. What they earnestly advocated was organised anti financed British migration—men and women, boys and girls, capital and brains.

Britain to-duy was willing and anxious to help. England, for instance, bad 840 people to the square mile, and New Zealand 15. Britain was willing that New Zealand should pick her best, and was prepared to finance up to 75 per cent., and perhaps a I'oo per cent., any approved form of settlement. What the deputation suggested was that the Government should open negotiations immediately with the British Government, and set up a Royal Commission to explore every avenue of absorption the land, secondary industries and new industries. There must be a clear declaration by the New Zealand people and the Government that the Migrant end his capital were welcome. Commercial Viewpoint,

Speaking on behalf of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Mr. E. Pattrick referred to a resolution passed by the Associated Chambers last November advocating the appointment of a Royal Commission to formulate schemes regarding both the encouragement of larger families and the increasing of immigration on a substantial scale. A resolution had also been passed iu 1936 by the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire stressing the vital importance of the early reinforcement of the populations of the overseas Dominions by organised and substantial migration from Great Britain. “I suggest that it is illogical to agree that immigration would aggravate unemployment,” Mr. Pattrick continued. ‘‘Certainly an ill-conceived policy may do so, but a well-considered policy should reduce unemployment, as well as reduce r the cost of living. New Zealand’s productivity and habitable conditions call for a substantial increase In population. Our relatively meagre population renders it inevitable that the cost per capita for our public services Is abnormally heavy, and has become .an unnecessary burden.” The difficulty experienced by farmers In obtaining labour for their land and

their homes was referred to by Mrs. T. Barrer, who spoke on behalf of the Women’s Division of the 1* armers Union. Very often th e farmer’s wife had to turn to and do work on the farm because of the disinclination of boys to take up farming and of girls to go into the homes. Dr. Barnado’s homes were willing to send out boys and girls. These were well trained, but of course assistance would be required. The secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, Mr. R. O’Shea, said the federation gave the fullest support to a properly planned system of migration. The Government must realise the cumulative effect of employment, and that the New Zealand worker in the manufacturing industries was the best per capita consumer of New Zealand products. One of the best ways to increase domestic consumption was by a large manufacturing population, assisted by migration. The manufacturing population gave stability to the primary producers. Lieutenant-Colonel A. Scotney, of the Salvation Army, said it had been remarked that the wealth of a nation was in the number of its prosperous, healthy and happy human beings. The Dominion could do with a substantial Increase in people of that type. Great Britain had a chronic unemployment problem of 2,000,000 people, and there existed a natural and abundant supply of available citizens. Given a properly planned scheme and the backing of the Government the deputation had no doubt that the tide of migration could be directed to these shores. Of all forms of migration that of family migration prob.ably yielded the best results. Reply by Ministers. Mr. Armstrong replied that one could not but help being impressed by the representations of the deputation. The question of migration was an all Important one. Although he happened to be Minister in Charge of Immigration, the question concerned the Government as a whole. “We had a pretty large-scale policy of migration not many years ago, and the results were not altogether too happy,” said Mr. Armstrong. “That New Zealand needs population and must secure a larger one than to-day must be admitted. Any system adopted must be well planned, and we want to know more than we did in the past about the type of people migrating.”

Even among the organisations represented by the deputation there was a conflict of ideas, added Mr. Armstrong. The Government wanted to train/young men to take up farming pursuits, and was moving in that direction. The Government had not been altogether idle, and had sought the co-operation of various organisations. However, if they were to make New Zealand the country it should be and increase its population, the primary., and secondary industries must agree to develop side by side. To-day there were 20,000 more workers in the secondary industries than there were two years ago, and the spending power was enormously increased. Never at any time had the population of the Dominion consumed more of the things produced here,

Planning for Future.

The declining population was regrettable and serious. That trend was not peculiar to New Zealand. The Government was planning for the future, and it believed that the best population New Zealand could have was that drawn from British stock. While in England last year he had met people interested in migration, and discussed the problem with them. However, when inquiries were made it was found that Britain wiis very largely up against the same problem.as we had here. Britain wanted to get rid of the unskilled. New Zealand needed skilled workers to make it possible to absorb the labour of the unskilled who were already in the Dominion. In any scheme of migration it was necessary to make plans first and to know where every person was to be placed. If a land settlement scheme were adopted, it was essential to know the effects of the increased production, and where the extra products were to be marketed. If a policy of migration were adopted it was young people with some - experience with farming, or who were prepared to take up farming, who were needed. There was no reason why some waste Crown lands could not be taken up and these young men given an opportunity to take part in the development of it. The population of New Zealand was not what it should be. It was a most important problem, and one that had to be faced up to. The deputation could be sure that the Government would give its careful consideration to the views expressed. The needs of farmers so far as labour was concerned were better catered for today than they ever were. Mr. Fraser’s Comments.

After expressing regret at the inability of the Prime Minister to receive the deputation, Mr ; Fraser said Mr. Savage was very much interested in the problems it had raised. The representations would be placed before the Prime Minister, who would give them his serious consideration. They would also receive the serious and earnest consideration of the Government. The deputation had raised matters of fundamental importance to the future of this country.

It was gratifying to hear that the deputation wanted planned migration, and no haphazard system. Nobody wanted the Government to revert Ito the system in operation previously. During the 1921-22 slump and the recent depression one of the most distressing, features was the number of fathers and mothers brought out under the previous migration scheme who implored him to intercede with the then Government to have them sent back home again. The method by which they were brought to the Dominion belonged to an obsolete system of migration.

A planned system, added Mr. Fraser, would require thought and organisation. The first necessity was to have the resources of the country adequately surveyed so that no scheme would result in economic loss. He believed that an economic survey was the first step in any scheme. It was also necessary that any scheme should make provision to absorb those drawing in part on unemployment funds.

The problem of unemployment was bound up with industrial and financial conditions, and it was equally common to countries with large and small populations. The disaster perhaps became more spectacular in the larger countries, but it was equally serious for those caught in the catastrophe whether they lived in small countries like New Zealand or not. Migration was not a cure for unemployment, and that had not been advanced by the deputation. New Zealand was a country capable of planned development and could carry a larger population. Request for Declaration.

The Government would address itself to the practical problem put forward by the deputation. It would consider the request for a declaration in regard to migration, and would give a considered expression of opinion. The problem of getting skilled labour to assist with

the construction of houses was a very urgent one. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash, had had discussions on migration when they were at Home, and no doubt at the appropriate time further discussions would be inaugurated. The Government was endeavouring to carry out an economic survey of the country to ascertain its resources.

The birthrate was a problem that migration would not solve, but through the investigations of a special committee the Government had endeavoured to ascertain what steps should be taken to cope with abortion and to make provision for mothers. Something more than that was needed, and h eattached great importance to the part women could play in fostering a sane outlook on these questions. He was not sure that it was necessary to appoint a Royal Commission as suggested by the deputation. What was necessary was a proper and authoritative inqoiry, and he thought a good deal of that was going on at present. What was needed was a picture of what the country was capable of doing.

A telegram sent to the Prime Minister by members of the Five Million Club in Auckland supported the deputation in. its plea for renewed immigration on an.increased scale. .