Manawatu Evening Standard WEDNESDAY, FEB. 23, 1938. MIGRATION,

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 73, 23 February 1938, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard WEDNESDAY, FEB. 23, 1938. MIGRATION,

With the resumption of business by Parliament on March 1, it is not unlikely that the question of migration will again be a topic of discussion, i'rom what can be gathered the Commonwealth Government has decided upon .a vigorous policy of migration, and in the natural order of things the New Zealand Legislature is certain to give some attention to the subject. The Commonwealth Government, quite naturally, desires the co-operation of State Governments for the development of its migration scheme; nevertheless a statistical investigation has disclosed" that the co-opera-tion of State Governments in implementing the Federal Government's policy for a vigorous resumption of migration from Britain will be much less important than has hitherto been believed. It is believed that the nominated system of migration could be developed to provide an influx of migrants comparable with that of the pre-depression years. Prospects for the success of a migration policy sponsored wholly by the Commonwealth have been greatly improved by the disclosure that about threequarters of all migrants brought to Australia before the depression came as nominated migrants. Their arrival accordingly was not brought about by State migration facilities. Federal experts believe that when facilities for assisted passages are restored the influx of nominated migrants will be resumed. Therefore, the basis of the new Federal policy will be the nomination system. It is believed that under this system it will be possible to introduce considerable numbers of skilled industrial workers, land and domestic workers, and their families. The British Government is very willing to render assistance for : such a migration policy.

The Commonwealth Government proposes developing the matter further. The Ministry is conducting an investigation to determine the practicability of reaching an agreement with the British Government so that any person having benefit rights in health insurance or old age insurance in one country may transfer those rights to the other in the event of his migration. The Australian plan is to be based to a large extent on that now in operation in Britain. There will, of course, be differences both in contributions and in the scale of benefits, but these are not considered likely to be sufficiently great to make impossible a transfer of rights from one fund to

another in the event of migration. It is believed that the migrants whom it is hoped to attract to Australia will be types with insurance rights in Britain, and it is felt they would be more likely to agree to migrate, if the equity they have established in the British insurance fund could be transferred to their credit in Australia. Australia, with its extensive area, and extensive resources, is capable of absorbing considerable numbers of skilled workers, land workers and domestic workers. Australia is giving very close attention to developing its manufacturing industries, and British capital is finding the country a good field for investment. Migrants have found their way to Australia, though not in large numbers, while they have been moving out of New Zealand and Australia in larger numbers. The Melbourne Argus states that for the nine months ended January 31, 2692 British subjects left to take up permanent residence in Australia, but during the same period 2961 migrated from Australia. In the nine months 1280 came to settle in New Zealand, and 1689 left. Thus both countries have lost in population.