EMIGRATION SCHEME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 47, 25 January 1926, Page 7

EMIGRATION SCHEME.

PROPOSALS IN BRITAIN. Received January 25, 11.25 a.m. LONDON, Jail. 24. The Colonial Institute memorialised Mr Baldwin, asking him to receive a deputation on the subject of the promotion of emigration. Mr Baldwin delegated tho matter to Mr L. C. Amery, who will receive a deputation, oil Monday. Tho memorial declares that the Overseas Settlement Act is entirely inadequate and that a new act is urgently necessary for tho following reasons :

(1) Because the stipulation that an overseas Government must pay equal shares with the Imperial Government of tho cost of any approved scheme, though excellent in theory, must break down in practice. Tho small populations of tho Dominions find it impossible to find money to finance migration schemes on such a comprehensive scale.

(2) Under tho Act tho rate of progress is too slow for tho effective handling of tho migration problem. (3) There should be direct co-op-eration by means of Imperial representatives overseas similar to the present overseas committee’s representative of Australia.

(4.) There is no doubt a large number of peoplo are willing to migrate, but aro unable to do so under the present conditions.

The memorial proceeds: “If the Government agrees to hear the wholo cost of settlement schemes it is suggested that tho conditions of such schemes should provido for gradual repayment by the settlers of moneys advanced by the Imperial Government. In tho ca.so of migrants who do not settle on tho land voluntary societies must pledge themselves to secure repayment.” The memorial urges that tho repatriation of migrants should not be mado too easy. Jt also urges that there should lie a homo land settlement scheme as favourable as that for overseas. Lord Stanley and Mr Alderly will introduce the deputation and Mr Christopher Turnover will be tho chief exponent of its ideas. It is expected that Mr Amery will make a most important pronouncement.—A. and N.Z. cable.