TIME OPPORTUNE

Evening Star, Issue 22576, 18 February 1937, Page 13

TIME OPPORTUNE

RESUMPTION OF IMMIGRATION GOVERNMENT URGED TO RECONSIDER QUESTION [Peb United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 18. The council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce this morning carried a motion that in the opinion of the council the time was opportune for the Government to reconsider the question of immigration, and reconi--mending that the Government insti* tute an urgent inquiry into the matter. In proposing the motion, Mr F. N. Ambler said he felt that the Government should be informed that responsible sections of the community favoured immigration with the approach of better times. It was necessary to face the fact that New Zealand’s population was too small. England' had 2,000,000 unemployed, many of whom would make desirable citizens. It would not be too much to expect England to pay some of the cost of settling some of these people in sparsely populated areas in the Dominion. Population was the first line of defence for New Zealand and also a protection against slumps. The fear that immigration would cause greater unemployment was a fallacy, provided immigration was carried out on planned lines. Mr J. A. C. Allum advocated a well-organised land settlement scheme. From his knowledge it would be impossible to get farm workers in the future unless they were also landholders. He suggested that orphanages should not be established in England, but in the dominions, where orphans could be trained- to take their places in a younger community, where they would have a better chance in life.