IMMIGRATION ISSUE

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 6

IMMIGRATION ISSUE

SIR. GEO. FULLER’S SUCCESS,

(Per United Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, July 20,

Sir George Fuller (Premier of Now South Wales), who was a passenger by the Makura, when interviewed to-day, said that he had throe interviews with the Overseas Settlement Committee on Australia’s immigration scheme. The Australian proposal that tho Imperial Government should contribute half of tho interest charge for the first five years, leaving the Commonwealth and the State Governments to pay one-quarter each, was considered a bold proposition,, but was sympathetically considered. Finally the committee recommended that one-third of tho interest charge bo contributed. This, amounting to a cash concession of half a million, alone justified, and made most successful, the financial aspect of his mission. In addition, tho committee agreed to contribute one-half of the cost of sustenance of the immigrant while undergoing training for life on the land. Tho estimated cost was about £2,000 per family. Tho committee reported that the English Settlement Act prevented it from (1) making any further interest contribution ; (2) making a casli minimum advance of £3,000 per settler for plant, equipment, etc., which alone would mean £1,800,000. The committee undertook, however, to enter into a joint agreement with the State Governments ef the Commonwealth, rural banks, or other approved agency, to pay any loss sustained by the bank making advances to settlers on strictly business lilies.