LESS EMIGRATION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 65, 14 September 1925, Page 15

LESS EMIGRATION

AMERY'3 FIGURES

:^ 130,000 FEWER THAN IN; ;lfll3.

(riov odb own coiiiswiDiirr.)

LONDON, 31st July

; Comparisons between .the ■ numbers of migrants proceeding to other parts of, the 1 Empire for permanent settlement in the, years "1913 and ,1914, are' given in; a written Parliamentary answer by Mr. ■Amery,' Dominionv Secretary., The. figures'are';— •■'■■'■ ':"-■.'■■ •■; ■■: •,■ ■■ ;■■■■ ' >•/ .■•>:,-. .■-....•' ■'■'•. •..■.;•■..■.;■■'•: fl^i WAi British, North America. i .'.;) ..''/' • (Canada, and ,New- ' . .:<■ foundland) ....-:.... 164,566 47,194 .........: ..." 44,428 30,304 New Zealand .......;....... 11,809 '8,740, Sonth:Africa-...:...;;,..../. V 375 . ■ ,649 Other, parts of i the ■'■■■■. > i ••- ---• ■■; Empire „.,,..;;:.....; 2,343 2,026 According to Mr. Amery, no financial assistance towards migration was given' by the Government in 1913. The total expenditure of the Government in th« financial year 1924-1925 _ under agreed; schemes arranged yith overseas Governments, under the Empire Settlement Ajjj., 1922, was £439,051 in respect of assistance-.to' migrants going to Canada, Australia, and ; New Zealand. „'. . .':.';•"'; "■'■■'[._; '.. ;_. ■ .. ;

DECAY OF THE SPIRIT OF .' ADVENTURE. \ -

"It would bo impossible "to attribute to., any one cause,this'ominous check to the flow of population from our oyer-crowded shires to the; rich and under-populated* spaces of the Britains beyond: the Seas (says the • "Morning Post"). '■ No; doubt the world wide depression' is responsible for much of the effect.by making it dif- ; ficult to absorb labour in new. countries. But it is impossible not lto conclude ;that a very considerable • influence has . been exerted by the dole, whichj in so many' ways discourages enterprise and .effort." To.leave old and familiar surroundings, to seek a new and unknown world, implies a 'wrench arid Requires an exertion of the'will. If a living wage can be ob-' 1 tamed .for doing nothing at Hpme.vwhy should the wrench be endured and the"i exertion made? It ia notdrious that systematic attempt's to organise emigration parties.from towns and villages have.generally failed; because the .unernplo'yed prefer to stay ivhera they are. The mostdisquieting reflection which that experi-. ence suggests is;the. decay, of the spirit of adventure iir our people,, the spirit by virtue of which our whole Empire has; been founded and peopled. Never before in. our history -haye we been a hortic-s.tay- 1, ing race;.and if..we w'cj'e; to acavii'e that' charactei', ■ 'Ichabod' is indeed written oter; our iloor. Meanwhile, we are con-, fronted with dwindling, trade. and. lan-. guishing industry arid, a population to which , the '• naturdP outlet for'- excess.,is choked. Tlio ■ tendency indicated- by. 'thwe official figures .may well demand.the earnest fittcntioa.of itatesmansbiE."-