ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 50, 28 February 1908, Page 8

ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.

CONTINUATION OF THE PRESENT —' ' ; • SYSTEM. jfrATEM 1 EN i r BY HON. MR. MILLAR. Th<A Hon. .jT- A. -Millar, Minister for iabowr, returned from the South to-day. To. a Post reporter, tho hon. gentleman, speaking- on the subject of immigration, eaid the Government -intended to continue the importation of agricultural ?aVourers and domestic servants, but WQuld spread tho requirements— which he- €sfcinKbled for all industries at 2700 including 500 girls — over two years, and bjjtftj) 1 all from the British Isles, if possible. Excellent reports were given «f the. -standard of immigrants of the past f.ew years, and similar methods of selection would* be pursued. A contract sys+em would not bo acceptable with the Government. No definite employment or period would be granted ; in fact, the Government would not depart from tho system. The Minister said that the protest of -the '^Otago- -Trade- and- Labour Coun--«iLmust"Thava .been' carried without full ■Knowledge of tho true position. If they knew the actual condition of some of the trades " in the Dominion and how greatly their output could be increased if more men wore available they could not, if thoy wished to see the country progress, catty- such' a resolution. < "I tun quite- in accord- with them agaimil any general scheme of immigration, b*iit Co'thfrtk 1 that oui' industries ought to Tj&^Howed; to remain practically stagnant is not in my opinion io tho best interests' of th*> ~ Dominion. There is no need -for an outcry. Surely in a country with a population of nearly a million two thousand people is a very small number to be brought in two years to .ffl 6^ % c .requirements of- all ourindusfcries.V"-"'-., • < < > The .Minister- said that technical edu-cation'*hb'nld'-h'£v"o'd,'g6od' effect on the ••Workmen- of the future, and suggested a small wage for boys at the commencement and a yeaily riso of 2Q per cent of a journeyman's wage, — reaching 80 per cenk during the last year of indentureship. Gfaalng undec awards with a specific wage was a question for the consideration- of tho unions. There was «-demand throughout the Dominion for many" classes 'oi labour,' and' tho duty ' of the .Government' was to cater for such wrrhout embracing a general scheme of immigration. The Government would 4ssist'as far as practicable to adjust the .distribution of the available surplus of labour.