EMPIRE MIGRATION

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 123, 20 November 1935, Page 15

EMPIRE MIGRATION

MR. THOMAS'S ATTITUDE

BRITAIN'S RESPONSIBILITY

PLEA BY LORD BLEDISLOE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, October 26.

On the same day as a deputation on the subject of migration was waiting on Mr. J. H. Thomas, Secretary for Dominion Affairs, Lord Bledisloe, at the Royal Empire Society's dinner at Bris* tol, was speaking on the need for organised oversea settlement. Councillor E. S. Dalgliesh, Lord Mayor of Newcastle, who recently j convened a migration conference in his city, headed the deputation to Mr. Thomas. He said future schemes must be adequately financed, and the interests of migrants properly safeguarded. A.new statutory basis was required, replacing the fifty-fifty principle of the Empire Settlement Act; and giving wider scope to the body responsible for deciding the terms and conditions of future schemes. He was anxious to see a co-ordinating committee under the chairmanship of the! Under-Secretary for the Dominions, which would influence Empire opinion, and advise upon specific proposals referred by the Secretary of State, as well as bring forward new ideas and inspire the formulation of new schemes. Mr. Thomas, thanking the deputation, said there was no work with which he would prefer his name to be associated before that of a real Empire policy. He did not think that in approaching the problem of migration they must look at it exclusively from the standpoint of cost. The peopling of the whole Empire with their own stock could not be measured in a bal-ance-sheet. They must not look upon migration as a means of solving their own unemployment problem; that was not only resented in the Dominions; it conveyed an entirely false impression that they were merely dumping undesirable or unemployed people. They had no right to ask their people to migrate and take their chance unless they were prepared to give them a fair crack of the whip, and we had no right to ask people to migrate unless they were welcome in those Dominions. If a proper scheme of cooperation with the Dominions could be worked out, the Government would be prepared to give every assistance to it. INFILTRATION PROCESS. Lord Bledisloe, at Bristol, said there never was greater need for those who talked imperially to act imperially, and with full knowledge of the Empire' and its needs. The required knowledge must include that of the economic resources of the Dominions and the best means of their successful exploitation, as well as of the social and spiritual aspirations of all c^sres and all races within their borders. If the Empire rather than the United Kingdom was to be the unit of comprehensive administrative policy, at least half of the British Cabinet should, in days to come, have some personal acquaintance with at least one of the Dominions, so that when Empire problems came to be discussed, the information brought before it would not be-mainly hearsay or documentary. The most valuable and stabilising of all Empire unifying agencies were prudent migration and carefully organised oversea settlement of our best British human material of all classes and avocations, coupled, if need be, with British capital. As a farmer he would include in the infiltration process British pedigree stock. He saw no future for New Zealand unless, without undue delay, she welcomed wholeheartedly and confidently from the Mother Country sound British stock, both human and animal, as well as British capital, British industrial enterprise, and British brains. He knew of no greater economic fallacy than the assumption that abnormal unemployment was unnecessarily intensified by organised migration. BRITAIN MUST BE GENEROUS. New Zealand badly needed augmentation of population and capital for the exploitation of her abundant natural wealth. Lord- Bledisloe knew of no country which could more justly be described as a domestic paradise for retired officers, Civil servants, and other pensioners, or where the small and industrious farmer had a better chance. But Great Britain would need to be more generous in making financial provision for her poorer migrants, their equipment, and their welfare for a few years after leaving her shores. Nowadays the people of Britain appeared to expect the Dominions to find out of their scanty resources the means of establishing our migrants in comfort and prosperity. That task was not properly theirs but that of Great Britain whose people ought to shoulder it resolutely and unstintingly. SETTLEMENT OF BRITISH WOMEN. n /^ Wa£ el" Lady Harc°i"-t. chairman of the Council of the Society for the Oversea Settlement of British Women writes a long letter to "The Times"' Sfl S°SL e faCtS concerning the societj. She expresses the wish to make one point quite clear—"that we do not in any way wish to give the impression that posts oversea are I numerous or easily obtained. "We are fully aware of the many in the Dominions today who find it difficult to get employment. We should be doing the Empire ill service if we J added to their difficulties, nor does it I help anyone to withhold toe facts of conditions at this or any other time |Of the many applicants who call at ;our office quite 50 per cent, are ad- ■■ vised to stay at' home. : "But this society is satisfied that with such careful organisation at both lends as we have been able to build ; up there are opportunities oversea for ■ the girl of good education who is j puable in her ideas and well qualified jin some one direction."

Mrs. O. Jones-Neilson (Dunedin)" has been in touch with Sir Nicholas Graltan-Doyle, M.P. for Newcastle-on-ryne, with a view to having a petition presented to Parliament on behalf of the British Immigrants' Club New Zealand, of which she is president The petition deals with the continuation of British pensions to people who have migrated to New Zealand, and with the repatriation of Imperial Service men. Mrs. Jones-Nellson will be remaining in England to answer questions, if necessary, when and if the petition is considered by a comniittec.

Hie lirst of the Country Pennant competitions were played on Saturday in perfect weather. At Olaki Booth Wilson Morion. Windley fs) (Otaki) defeated Barton, Stewart, Tyrer fParapnrnumu). 35-13. At Parapara- ? r? v,,?. v7<? ox- Twis(- Nicolson. McGUI '■■i> (Otnki) defeated G. Howcll Hardhnni. L. Howcll, White (s) (Paraparauniii). 23-15. The greens at both places were jd. good order,