RUSH OF MIGRANTS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1932, Page 5

RUSH OF MIGRANTS

BACK TO BRITAIN.

Jcited Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—(Copyright )

LONDON, Feb. 16. In the House of Commons, 'the Secretary for the Dominions, Rt. HonJ. H.. Thomas, informed -Mr Leckie (National Labour) that he had received a joint memorial from ex-service men in Victoria, and oversea .settlers at Muri'abit, reciting their grievances, but he was not in a position to anticipate the findings of the Royal Commission there-

.Mr Somerville : If you cannot relieve the Australian Government of responsibility. do you not remember that the Home Government encouraged these men to sign contracts, -and therefore a distinct liability exists?

Mr Thomas: None • sympathises more than the Government with the migrants’ difficulties, hut it cannot accept responsibility which is'the Dominions’.

Mr (MacPherson said that members were continually receiving migrants’ letters. If the statements therein were true, the Government ought to take action, in the 'migrants' interests. Mr Thomas! I receive more letters than anyone, I have gone to extreme measures iii making inquiries and approaching relief institutions, but cannot accept a responsibility which in the end, I cannot fufill.

Air MalcThorson: The feeling of the. country » that the Government should 'take definite aotion.

Mr Thomas: You will get some measure of the problem, if you keep in mind that while for 20 years there was an average of 200,000 migrants departing, now more are returning than are leaving. Our responsibilities ended after giving facilities in assisting .their transportation. JMr Neil Mac Lean : Is it not plain that the .number now returning from Australia, a protected country, to Britain, a free trade country—

The Speaker intervened and prevented Mr Mac Lean completing the sentence.