AUSTRALIA AND IMMIGRATION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 28 October 1921, Page 5

AUSTRALIA AND IMMIGRATION

A DIVIDED POLICY. SYDNEY, Oct. 12. Beyond further stimulating those wno,- liKe *iir Joseph Carruthers, a .politician ox many years' standing and an .ex-Liberal Minister, who is vigorously prosecuting his "Million Farms" scheme, and others who for years have been consistent advocates of a big .immigration policy, the recent appear by Lord Northehiie and other prominent public men of the Empire on this subject have not elicited any display of enthusiasm .either in New South Wales or ii\ Queensland. Perplexed by their unemployment problems, which -many masters of industry assert to be of their own making, the Labour leaders are displaying a thinly-veiled hostility to immigration even on a restricted basis. Canon Pugh, who is travelling throughout the Commonwealth investigating the openings for immigration on benalf of the Overseas Settlement of .the Church. Auny, in analysing the -attitude of the various States, says: "Western Australia practically has the open door, and will probably go ahead by leaps and bounds. .Victoria is also -ce.ady to: welcome the true class of settier.. New South Wales is only .accepting nominated passages* and then' on somewhat restricted lines, and has practically banged the ttoor. Australia .w.ants a continuous policy, and one ±hat would stand for unity of purpose. The building up of a nation surely is a national question, and should be in the hands of the Federal authorities. This question should be lifted .above petty State jealousies and intrigue. "Australia has had a very* great opportunity owing to the position arising out of the war.. All free passages granted to ex-service men and thendependents and to fix-service women cease at the end of .this year, although those which have already been granted by that time will fee qperativ>6 throughput 1922. Unifcrtunately, owing- to an adverse policy, at this end, Queensland has not.benefited to .ay.cry. large extent by these free passages. Recently the Australian authorities have initiated a united- policy for the-: various State (governments interested", and their representatives are now working together at Australia House. This is only •■unify on the surface, and does not meaja a Policy, as each separate State still decides its own immigration policy; but it does not mean that Aus-' tralia is placed upon a more favourable tooting to compete with Canada. The ikoinmonwealth is now offering nominated passages to approved settlers upon the basis of £14 paid by the seller and -£12. advanced by the Government— £26 in all. The cheapest passage to Canada is £20. At the same time, when the free passages cease, very tew will be able to avail themselves of passages., even at this rate. There is not a very large flow of immigration from the Old Land at the present time. ±*robably this year will not see more than 15,000 "—Wellington Post Corres-. pondent. i