BRITISH MIGRATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 89, 12 October 1937, Page 9

BRITISH MIGRATION

MOVEMENT IN LONDON

DEVELOPMENT BOARD URGED

NEW ZEALAND'S NEED

(United Press Association—By Elcctrlc Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received October 12, 10.20 p.m.)

LONDON, October 11.

"Aliens who have no link with or loyalty to the Empire and whose standjard of living is low are peopling the empty spaces of the Dominions," said Sir George Broadridge, Lord Mayor of London, opening a three-day conference on Empire migration and development at the Guildhall, called by voluntary bodies.

More than 400 persons, including representatives of Dominion Central Governments, State or provincial Governments, heads of municipalities in the United Kingdom, and representatives of migration organisations, are taking part. The conference is not directed towards securing a return to the unrestricted migration of the past to the Dominions but at organised migration, selected families to be established not only on the land but also in all forms of industry and development.

Widespread unemployment and the absence of opportunities for families in Britain demanded a solution, and the Dominions had limitless undeveloped resources and could supply work and a livelihood for vast numbers, the Lord Mayor said. Lord Home said that the post-war collapse of migration was a potential danger to the Empire. It was a fallacy to believe that migrants would deprive people in the Dominions of work. It was also wrong to concentrate on placing immigrants on the land in the Dominions. Secondary as well ag primary activities should be extended. Lord- Home advocated the formation of an Imperial development board representative of the engineering industry, commerce, and research workers, with a permanent secretariat. CAPITAL AND BRAINS FOR NEW ZEALAND. Lord Bledisloe,. on behalf of twenty New Zealand organisations, said that New Zealand was capable of absorbing from ten to twenty million Britishers within the next half-century. New Zealand's crying need was British capital and brains. If the capital was not forthcoming privately, it should be furnished by the British Government by loans at a low rate of interest to companies and corporations. Secondary industry would inevitably expand in New Zealand. If the Dominion was not back by British capital foreigners would step in. No country was more vulnerable than New Zealand. Man-power was badly needed for defence, but there must be an end to the haphazard influx. j