MUST BE A PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 152, 30 June 1938, Page 10

MUST BE A PLAN

PREPARED FARMS

MIGRATION SCHEME MR. SAVAGE'S VIEW To bring people into New Zealand without any proper -plan for their occupation would be stupid and repeating the insanities of the past, declared the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon M. J. Savage) When his attention was called to fhe cabled summary of the Overseas Settlement Board of the' British. Government (published on page 9).

"We are just as anxious as any Empire Settlement League can be to bring people to the Dominion," continued Mr. Savage. "We cannot hold an empty territory for ever. The only way tfc hold it will be by population and by bringing people here to fill places that have been made for tliem."

Mr. Savage, pointed out that this i Would involve New Zealand's development both on the primary and secondary side, but this could not be done unless there was some security from the British Government that Britain would take the increased amount of primary products that would result. He hoped it would be possible to enter into some kind of working arrangement with Britain on the lines of his statement priori to the last; Imperial Conference: "We will spend every shilling we , get from you. in buying your goods and services. Are.you ready to make a deal?" MONEY NEEDED. To tackle the problem properly would need a fairly substantial amount' of money, continued Mr. Savage. The Government had the responsibility for preparing the way for immigrants and " for that reason had been considering the possibility of getting substantial ' tracts of good land, not in the back- •' blocks or away from railways, and using modern machinery to.bring them into cultivation so that there: would be immediate results, "liis land would be available ior people with very little capital. Secondary industries would have to be developed and this was a bigger thing than a'tariff question. Asked for his opinion on the suggestion that ■ if immigrants were not available from y Britain; they could be obtained from other countries of similar stock, Mr. Savage questioned whether it was impossible to get them from Britain because he'knew that some of our best .farmers were formerly miners. "Anyway," concluded the Prime Minister, "if we cannot get them from the Old Country we Would take them from Denmark or some other suitable coun- : try. They must be a suitable type and •we must prepare the way."

PROPOSAL WELCOMED

FIVE MILLION CLUB | "The Five Million Club would welcome suitable migrants from the Old Country, and the recommendation by the Overseas Settlement Board that if insufficient newcomers can be obtained 1 from Britain foreigners of similar stock to Britishers should be encouraged to migrate to the Dominions is a proposal which commends itself to the Five Million Club," said the president of the club (the Hon. W. E, Barnard), ' when his attention was drawn to the cable today. - : "While the question of expanding the market for New Zealand produce in the Old Country has some relation to British emigration to the Dominions, I agree that the problem of Migration should not lie merely a matter for bargaining," Mil Barnard continued. "It .< is generally agreed that New Zealand requires and is capable of carrying a much larger , population than it possesses today, or is likely to possess in the absence of migration, and while the general' problem is one for the Government, advantage should be taken, I think, of the offers oi! responsible organisations both here and in the Old Country to carry out carefullyplanned schemes on a small scale for ' the early planting of new citizens within New Zealand. "Australia appears to have a largescale scheme well under way and it Would be wise if New! Zealand could see its way to take similar action while the opportunity of obtain ing suit- ; . able 'settlers is still open." 1