EMIGRATION

Evening Star, Issue 18030, 26 July 1922, Page 7

EMIGRATION

PITISH SCHEME & Hi. LIABILITY [From Quit Parliamentary: Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 25. As the result of a' question from Mr Holland, tire Prime Minister mad© an interesting statement, to the House showing whnt Britain proposes to do in placing its surplus population within the Empire, with the aid of the dominions. Mr Holland had suggested that the agreement with the Imperial Government on the subject should not ho signed by Sir James Alien until -the House ’has a chance of considering it, but Mr Massey declared that Sir James knew the feeling of New Zealand on immigration, and .could be trusted to do the right thing. The Government's policy was to bring as many people to New Zealand ns the -country could 1 , properly absorb. Mr Holland: Irrespective of the unemployed f - ‘ : Mr Massey pointed out that ho had qualified his statement. The Imperial Parliament had passed a Bill authorising the Secretary of State to make agreements with the dominions ’for encouraging emigration' within the- Empire,- and it ap-„ pearecl to be an' extraordinarily useful measure. It wap in accordance with a resolution ho had moved four years ago at the Imperial Conference, expressing the desirability of emigration under the British Flag. On his last visit to England he was Informed -that there were more, people, in ( Britain than the country could support, and that i£ was necessary to provide for them. 'The question was whether they could bo provided for in the overseas dominions. There were 2C0.000 miners more than were needed in Britain. Mr Massey,added that ho bad reminded the Imperial authorities of the necessity of first settling, our own .soldiers, and it was agreed that a scheme could eventually be brought into operation under which the British Government would pay onethird of the passage of emigrants, the emigrants paying another third, and the Dominion Government the remainder. Ho thought our contribution -would be between £BO,OOO and £IOO,OOO per annum by grant or loan. This would enable s‘ooo adults to come out annually at,a cost of £130,000 to £150,000, and leaving a reasonable margin fox* lending them money or provide for the training. It hao be<m,. decided to send to the High Comnrissioner’s Office Mr sSanclford, of the Board of Trade staff, ns emigration officer in place of Mr Cameron, who was retiring. Finally, said Mr Massey, New Zealand wants population badly; it could support double the present population without much difficulty. There are smite a number of people coming here ,from_ r-um-trics other than Britain, irrespective of assisted immigrants. During the first three months this year between 9,000 and 10,000 arrived, from overseas.