EMPIRE POPULATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 152, 30 June 1938, Page 9

EMPIRE POPULATIONS

ALARM EXPRESSED

MIGRATION PLAN FAVOURED PEOPLING DOMINIONS BRITONS AND FOREIGNERS United Press Association—By Electrto Ml* graph—Copyright. (Received June 30, 9 a.m.) LONDON, June 29. A report prepared by the Over* seas Settlement Board of the British Government expresses" alarm at tha decline in the Empire's white popu* lations and suggests that Britain may not be able to supply sufficient settlers. The Board therefore recommends thp Dominions, "in addition, to admit a carefully regulated flow of foreigners of assimilable types, preferably from countries whose inhabitants are of the same stock a* ourselves."

This is the first time in the history of Britain that it has been suggested that the Dominions should absorb foreigners.

The report is signed by the Duke of Devonshire, Mr. E. G. Machtig, chair® man of the Oversea Settlement 6om« mittee, Mr. A. P. Waterfleld, Principal and Assistant Secretary in the Treasury, Mr. E. T. Crutchley, finance officer to the committee, Lady Reading, Professor W. G..S. Adams, warden of All Souls' College, Lord Barnby, Mr. George Gibson, and Mr. H. J. Mitchell. The report declares that the problem of strengthening the Empire by migration from the United Kingdom to the Dominions is difficult and urgent, and cannot be propery envisaged, in isolation. A wide Background of facts, ineluding international aspects, must be taken into account. The problem could only be solved if the Governments and peoples realised its import* ance and co-operated whole-heartedly for a solution. It was only from the viewpoint of strengthening the Empire as a whole that encouragement of migration from the United Kingdom could be justified. The position of the Dominions, as relatively thinly-popu-lated areas facing a highly competitive world, demanded that the: natural increase in the population should be supplemented by immigration, and tha board urges that this should occur immediately while Britain is still able to supply migrants. NO CURE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT. It is emphasised that it is a pro found misconception to say that migration would cure unemployment and depression. On the contrary, it would i only harden the Dominions' attitude and give migration a bad name. The report says that if the present population trend continues »■ the Empire's population ■ will become stationary and then diminish rapidly. 014 people will increase, leaving a smaller proportion of active people to carry on the work. The world does not understand the position, and thinks that the Empire adopts a dog in the mange? attitude which contributes to world in- ; security. " The report emphasises that a planned policy is essential;to produce a regular flow from Britain, requiring Britain and the Dominions to share equitably the financial burdens of the moveI ment.

Migration'cannot be regarded as * matter of bargaining, arid should not be directly related to the question of increased markets for the Dominions' procluce nor offset against the introduction of a given amount of capital. Opportunities for the investment of United Kingdom capital in the Dominions must result from the Dominion Governments' policy. 1 - The report,. opposes .land settlement schemes, apart from exceptional circumstances, and approves social insurance proposals in New Zealand, Aus? tralia, and Canada. It advocates increased communications between Britain and the. Dominions and an exchange of. visits, including organised visits by workers and school children.

FINANCE DIFFICULTY

GOVERNMENT UNABLE?

TO MOVE

THE RE-ARMAMENT BURDEN

(Received June 30, 11.20 a.m.)

LONDON, June 29.

. At the annual meeting or the Fait*bridge Farm Schools Lord Willingdon said that a scheme on a big scale wM necessary to encourage migration, but that the Government was unable to, finance it because of the cost of 3 It. was announced that Lord Kenilj worth had donated £35,000 and had promised a further £60,000, to b« i spread over ten years.