EMPIRE MIGRATION
A NEW POLICY
BUSINESS MAN'S VIEWS
In conjunction with an active policy of the promotion of trade treaties designed to increase our exports to foreign countries, the opinion was expressed by Mr. M. G. C. McCaul, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce,' at the annual meeting of that organisation last night, that steps should be taken to encourage a steady flow Qf suitable immigrants to New Zealand. :
"I am fully convinced," he said, "that a selfish policy of: exclusiveness will react to our own undoing. There is an urgent need in New Zealand for an increased • population to make efficient use of the road, rail, and ship^ ping services already provided, and of* the air services of. the future, to share our privileges and our,burdens. "The view is held by some that the bringing of .-immigrants to New Zealand will increase unemployment. This is . a vicious fallacy. One of the causes of unemployment in this country is the heavy burden of our debt per. head of population.. The heavy taxation made necessary by our debt is a serious drag upon all forms of industry, both town and country. "MANY ADVANTAGES' "We will' all be the richer for the lowering of our overhead. Our National Debt at March 31 was, per. head of population, £178 4s and our local body debt £46 9s 3d—a total of £224 odd per head of population. A vigorous policy of ■ immigration will automatically decrease the burden of our debt per head, and bring many otheradvantages. Our trade position is out of balance. Under present conditions we have to export too great a proporportion of our primary products and we have to' import too great a proportion of our consumption of manufactured products. If we had-a larger population, our farmers would dispose of a greater proportion of their produce locally arid be less dependent upon the vagaries of oversea markets. Our city, industries could expand, and, by increasing the output of individual factories, greatly reduce costs of production to the benefit of all."'
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19360311.2.68
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Issue 60, 11 March 1936, Page 8
Word Count
340EMPIRE MIGRATION Evening Post, Issue 60, 11 March 1936, Page 8
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