EMIGRATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18601, 31 December 1920, Page 5

EMIGRATION.

HOSTILITY TO STATE AID

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received December 30, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 29.

The Australian and New Zealand Press Association learns that Mr Lloyd’ George’s emigration speech was entirely .unpremeditated. Cabinet was not consulted. Even the Premier’s colleagues in the House were not informed. He merely used the discussion on the unemployed as the occasion for suggesting co-operation between Britain and the dominions an redistribution of population within the .Empire according to the economic potentialites of each part.

A Cabinet committee has been considering the- unemployed problem for some weeks, but the emigration question was not included in the recommendation.

Strong opposition to State-aided emigration is developing in parliamentary circles, the Labour Party denouncing tising British, money to deplete Britain of its best men and women. It is believed that a large proportion of members of the House -of Commons sympathise with Labourite views. Ministers themselves -.are not unanimous. It is pointed.out that the Government has consented to a year’s extension of free passages only at the reiterated requests of the Agents-General. There will be no further concessions except they are l-equested by the Primo Ministers’ Conference in Juno.