ATTRACTING IMMIGRANTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 27, 1 August 1911, Page 8

ATTRACTING IMMIGRANTS.

AUSTRALIA'S DUTY. The Australian High Commissioner, Sir George Reid, in the course of his first annual report, reviewing the work of the last yea-r, makes the following com* ment upon Australian needs in connec' tiofl with immigration ; «« "I hope that failure to draw immigrante of a right sort from the Mother Country in sufficient numbers will be followed by attempts te persuade the better sort of farmer or agricultural labourer from France, Germany. Switzerland, and Italy to settle in Australia. Meat of the European Governments strive to prevent emigration, of that sort. Their laws in most cases only tolerate publicity. They do not permit canvassing." Reference is made to the difficulty of work _ divided amongst six separate agencies, which has only been overcome by the friendly spirit and good understanding < prevailing between the High Commissioner and Agents-General. He states that the situation " would be otherwise manifestly difficult, if not absolutely abeufd." His remarks on this head are concluded by something in the way of a peroration. "Australia has neglected her duty to make herself better known. Distance has done for her what it docs for heavenly bodies, when it j makes majestic suns in the upper skies appear mere trembling spots of life to us." A statement of the numbers and remuneration of the London office staff shows that on 28th February, 1910, T6 officers wer« receiving £2805 per annum, and on 28th February, 1911, 31 officers were receiving £5643 per annum. These figures, of course, do not include the High Commissioner's salary and allowance.