EMPIRE MIGRATION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11013, 28 January 1926, Page 5

EMPIRE MIGRATION

KEY TO IMPERIAL STRENGTH. PROPER DISTRIBUTION OF PEOPLE. PRINCIPLE OF 50-60. MUST BE: RETAINED. COLONIAL INSTITUTE URGE A CRUSADE COLONEL AMERY’S REPLY. BUT BRITAIN MAY PAY COST OF TRAINING. - ' (United Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, Jan. 26. The Colonial Institute deputation waited on Colonel Amery and urged an Empire crusade to explain to every citizen the seriousness of the situation and the necessity for a redistribution of population. The crusade, it contends, should be non-party and Labor should co-oper-ate. The Government should evolve a land settlement policy in Britain, offering terms as favorable as those, obtainable in the Dominions, and this would remove the suspicions of migration existing among the Laborite rank and file. Colonel Amery replying, agreed that the proper distribution of the people of the Empire was the key to future Imperial strength. He confessed he was disappointed at the slowness of migration in recent years. It was firstly essential to get public opinion at Home and overseas to march ahead. Colonel Amery emphasised the fact that increased trade would lead to a demand for migrants. Obviously it is impossible for the Government to underbake the responsibility of administering settlement overseas, and eyen controlling selection, because assisted migration must be co-operatively administered and financed. A departure from (the fifty-fifty principle would destroy the moral basis of cooperation, while voluntary migration societies could not expect the Government to pay all their administrative expenses. The Government felt that in one direction it might ultimately he justified in departing from the co-operative principle, namely by providing, at the Government’s sole cost, training centres in Britain for men with families, and single girls, before migration. Colonel Amery said he hoped eventually to amend the Empire Settlement Act in this direction. Meantime, he was watching the Ministry of Labor’s training experiments.—A. and n.z.cTa.

“SANE AND SOUND.’’ BURNHAM ON OVERSEAS PRESS LONDON, Jan. 20. Leading figures of the British press, 1 —u.h. Colonel Amery, Mr J. T. .... High Commissioners and ihomas, ’ -'lebrated the lAthe Agents-Generai c«... c Nation turn of the Empire Press - ’ who paid glowing testimony to tne gargantuan hospitality and kindness received throughout their tour especially in New Zealand and Australia. Sir Robert Donald, the chairman, quoted the Dominion Premiers’ messages, hoping the conference’s resolutions would have far-reaching results, leading to fuller appreciation of tho Empire’s resources and potentialities, helping to mould public opinion in Britain to a better understanding of Empire problems. Mr Baldwin wrote, trusting that the experiences of the tour would be helpful in coming years, during which our future would depend upon a common policy of Empire development.

Colonel Amery said Imperial unity depended not only upon politics, hut upon co-operation in every field of life, wherein the press covered every phase and,.wielded an immense power. He recalled attending the 1919 conference; at which Lord Milner, Sir Edward Grey, and Lord Roberts disclosed the facts of the European situation, resulting in complete Empire co-operation in 1914. “To-day’s problems’’, lie added, “are Empire trade and' settlement ,and if these are solved every social and political problem of the next generation will he automatically solved, because underlying them were problems of Empire co-operation, security, and other questions requiring to be tackled from many angles in order to achieve the mutual well-being of all parts of the Empire/’ Lord Burnham said there was no saner, sounder, or more prosperous press than that of New Zealand and Australia-. He .stressed Australians and New Zealanders’ patriotism and keenness to see industries developed by British methods under British leadership and migration. By means of migration of industries, as well as of people to Greater Britain, Australia and New Zealand may become the greatest Britain of all.—A. and N.Z. C.A.

THE FLESH AND- BLOOD BOND. PRINCE OF WALES ON EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT. > A NOTABLE ADDRESS (Received January 27, 11 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 26. What is generally acclaimed as a most valuable contribution to the problem of Empire migration was made by the Prince of Wales, responding to the toast of his health at a luncheon at the Australian and New Zealand Luncheon Club at the Hotel Cecil in celebration of Australia Day. There wtn a most distinguished gathering, including the Japanese Ambassador, who sat between Lord Forster and Sir J. Cook. 'Lord Forster proposed the Prince’ s health. He said nobody could adequately assess what the Empire owed to the efforts of the Royal Family unless they had personal knowledge, and he could say the result of the Prince’s visit to Australia had been most astonishing. The Prince had confirmed their loyalty and strengthened their pride, strong though both were. The memory of his visit was ineffaceable. It was a great work greatly done, and all due to his great personality. The Prince of Wales paid a tribute to the outstanding work Lord Forster had done in Australia, in which he was bound to remain interested. That was actually inevitable, once he had been there. “Even the memory of Iny visit is most vivid to-day. Though the bare bones of history did not count for much in the living story of how the nations of the Empire have grown up, it could rot be too often told that the most paramount among the present links was the stream of men, women and children going to the Dominions. It was a flesh and blood link which he was sure would stand the most severe strain. The stream must go on and grow for the good of all. (Cheers). On the one hard there was . our over-populated Old Country, and on the other the Dominion’s vast virgin territories, whose possibilities were immeasurable.”—A.N.Z.C.A.

would like to seo more well-to-do people taking up land settlement in the Dominions as their future career (Hear,! Hear.) The prince of Wales also said public schools were not only teaching more about Empire but taking a great part in its development. Ho alluded to the excellence of the .“Big Brother” movement .and the wisdom of sending British schoolboys on-Visits to Australia. He was most interested hr'child migration. He had never seen happier children than in the Dominions, but there were not enough of them “The New Zealand shcepowners’ scheme was’, he said, “ a noteworthy effort. I hope you will not only share my interest but optimism. I look forward to tho day when we will bo able to smile with satisfaction at the obstacles surmounted.

Sir J. Cook thanked the Prince for his notable speech. Australia was determined to make even a greatci contribution to Britain’s food supply. Col. Amery paid a tribute to the Prince’s speech. The migration problem transcended all issues, party or otherwise. He was confident it would make the Empire’s human resources even greater? Yet it must he properly distributed.—A. and N.Z.C.A.

ALLENBY ON THE EMPIRE'S STRENGTH NO FEAR AS TO FUTURE AUCKLAND, Jan. 27. A civic reception was tendered to Lord Allenby in the Town Hall this morning in the Concert Chamber. The Mayor, Mr H. Baildon, presided and welcomed Lord Allenby, who rose to speak amid cheers. Lord Allenby said he never felt before how wide and united was the British Empire as he did to-day. They had come to New Zealand to find the people prepared to welcome them as citizens of the British Empire. Since their arrival he had met a lot of old friends. He .did not have to say how much be valued the privilege of meeting his old friends ol the late war. He valued the services of the New Zealand soldiers highly, and it was endurance, pride of race and courage that had helped the men to go through the hottest summer in the Jordan Valley. No man had a better lot of men under him than he, and the New Zealanders were the best of all. They were never 011 to make a" cirorf without doing so with' the utmost efficiency.

Since the last war, he continued, there had been a number smaller wars, hut the action of the army 1“ o r and Palestine had done much to fin ■nr"" wars. The sacrifice made "’in tne* Gre « t 1 War had not been unsuccessful, am. “ lc Empire had brought results necessity,_* or peace and welfare of the worm. all the other Dominions was to P e found the same loyalty as in New Zealand, and the great young nations across the seas would one day rise to power, but would still be hound to the Empire and become one enormous power for good in the world. He had no fear for the future and was absolutely convinced of the strength and solidity of the Empire. There was no discontent in England, and the position was not what it was made out to he. England was going ahead, and no bounds could he put to its future or the future of the Dominions. Lord Allenby eulogised the services of his wife, who. he said, was the only lady to go to the front line. _ (Loud applause). During the whole time she had been a help to him and lie could not sav how much he owed her.— P.A.

WHAT CAN AYE DO TO HELP P THE MIGRATION PROBLEM ADDRESS BY SIR A. H. RUSSELL. THE NEED FOR MORE MEN A most enlightening and comprehensive address on Empire Migration was made by Sir Andrew Russell to the Hastings Chamber of Commerce and so impressed were the audience that they immediately set up an intelligence committee to attempt to discover means of helping io ways Sir Andrew Russell suggested. One of the. greatest economic difficulties of the world to-day, said the speaker, was that too main men were engaging in manufacture and not enough in primary production. In that respect the British Empire had now reached the danger • point. Primary products were constantly rising in price, and thought of the cost in the Lmted Kingdom of such things as bread and meat one felt that the position had grown uncomfortable. Before the war Britain was losing her position as the leading manufacturing nation in comparison with what”shc was 40 years ago. The war had accelerated that decline and we could not now fairly blame other countries who had then learned toi the first time how to manufacture for themselves, if they went on with it. Though the world's export trade had diminished in relation to population, Britain had not lost her share of it. Her share to-day was as large, if not- larger, than betoie, butT that was not enough. Sir Andrew then quoted figures to show how emigration from Britain had decreased since pre-wnr days, in 1913 the figure was 250,000, m 192„ 157,000. in 1924 132,000. For New Zealand the figures were 14,009. ii,800, and 11,000 for the same years. In regard to unemployed, at no time were there fewer than between 000,000 and 400,000, but to-day they were one and a-quarter million ilov-• ever, registration row ensured that all were counted so that the position might not be comparatively so bad as it appeared. The disparity m the numbers of unemployed was hugely due to the decline in emigration, and that decline was caused firstly, by the attractions of unemployment relief and, secondly, by lack of capital for development. Capital must l>e at-, tracted to this Dominion, continued Sir Arthur, and must either precede immigration or else come with the immigrant, though the second alternative was the less desirable. it seemed that God had arranged things to link together provided we found t.iie true line to f “how. However it was evident that it "c could only settle more people on the land we would have a better chance to develop primary production. A primary producer wanted a house, implements, and similar and thus created greater prosperity . the towns. (Prosperity depend,d within a limit on.tho people work « together, but in England tliat limit seemed to have been reached, and foi her to attempt to maintain ? part of the population in idleness would lead to bankruptcy. There a as room for more people m New Zealand and more people would provide a better market for British manufactures. That might certainly mean a fall in prices, but it would mean cheaper capital. , , > There was no one at Home who had a complete grasp of the emigration question, and no body of men conn do any good by sitting down m a London office to try to devise # scheme. The Spade work had to be done in the colonies. ' . ' ~ Sir Andrew then dealt lv with suggestions for financing emigration, and. explained some_ of his work in that connection England. Be. also stated that he-had submitted several - suggestions wto the Colonial Office, hut did not .yet know, Low; they had fared. ’ He said .that he thought a scheme that lie had put

to a conference of British Empire exservice men at Ottawa would probably produce gOod results', it was not limited to ex-service men, and had been well received, but it would cost £25,000 a year to carry out. There would be branches all over the Empire, and in London a sort of intelligence office that would-, be in touch with all branches. It would do no work in connection with : individuals, but would he a sort of fount of necessary knowledge and proper adyiee. There were, several organisations at .Home; Wfe'fc |w»ne<piq|/ any work other'than recruiting, selecting, forwarding and receiving emigrants, and he' did not know of one that tried to find a job for a newcomer. Ho was quite satisfied that the workers here were right when they said: “What’s this about bringing out more immigrants They are going to heat us for our jobs and to lower wages.’’ That complaint was only common sense, and what was wanted was an organisation to create new jobs for newcomers. “But I hope”, said Sir Andrew, “that when you encounter the opinion that we don’t want more men you will combat it. We do want them. They are better than guns and we need more men to serve the guns even if we have them.”

Reverting to a discussion of capital, Sir Andrew said that private enterprise had built the Empire and we had only to remember India and the East India Company to know that it was true. That immigrants should he somewhere about the age of 20 to 21 for the sake of their greater adaptability to colonial conditions was another opinion expressed by Sir Andrew. in reply to a question by Mr E. J. Haliett, who asked: “What can we do to help?” Sir Andrew urged the establishment of local commithut advised deferring any definaction until he had addressed southern organisations and could give better advice. He also advised that the chamber could copy the splendid work already done by the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, and that it might enlist the active 00-eperation ol farmers in this district. Sir Andrew was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address.