MIGRATION PROBLEM

Evening Star, Issue 22560, 30 January 1937, Page 15

MIGRATION PROBLEM

DEFICIENCIES OF SETTLEMENT ACT SYSTEMATIC DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES THE SOLUTION Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, January 28. Admitting that the Empire Settlement Act was a half-measure, irritating opponents and not satisfying enthusiasts envisioning planned economy for the whole Empire and ideal distribution of the white population throughout the Empire, ‘ The Times’ editorially says; “There is nothing more natural than that the dominions should be determined to be masters of their own houses. Nevertheless, the determination creates a dilemma, whether from General Smuts’s viewpoint that the dominions will not play a large part in world affairs unless they largely increase their (populations, or Mr Savage’s declaration that future migrants must bring jobs.” ‘ The Times ’• adds that •“ only through systematic development of resources, especially secondary industries, can the dominions be assured that newcomers will bring their own jobs. It is our business to ensure that those answering the call for more labonr shall not be mere economic pawns, and for this reason the first condition is that they shall not be regarded as strangers or birds of passage. Already a certain harrier has been established between immigrant and native-born, but no such danger threatens those migrating sufficiently young to grow up good dominion citizens, such as the Bill would financially assist. Nevertheless, the dominions must ensure migration linked with development if they wish new settlers to be young and readily assimilable.”