IMMIGRANTS, CHANCES.

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1924, Page 6

IMMIGRANTS , CHANCES.

LONDON .NEWSPAPER ARTICLES,

I VIEWS OF RECENT VISITORS

Major-General A. G. Wauchope, who was a member of the. Empire Immigration and Land Settlement Commission, which recently visited Australia and New Zealand, has contributed to the "Times" three articles on settlement in Australia. In one he gave some particulars regarding the outlook for settlers in New Zealand. "No one who has travelled in New Zealand, ,, he writes, "denies either the charm of the country, the richness of its soil, or the warm welcome that its people give to all Englishmen. But there are some who have never been there who argue that New Zealand is but a small island, that the best of the land has already been bought or leased, and, consequently, that there is no room for further development. Certainly, if there be no scope for further development in farming, then there is no room for more settlers, for, as in Australia, tliere is little demand for workers in the towns. It needs, however, but little knowledge or a short visit to the Dominion to confute the assumption that progress in the chief branches of farming has come to an end."

General Wauchope then points out that though there is now little Crown land available for settlers, there is still much land which has not been fully developed <md, as in all now countries, a number of large properties are each year subdivided and made available for closer settlement. The Dominion, he says, is ready to accept some 10,000 migrants :\ year, and it is General Wiuif'hope's belief that the outlook for the future prospective settlors who are ready to work on the land is most favourable.

"Settlers of the next few years will, in fact," says General Wanc'hope, "have advantages over those who migrated shortly after the war. In the first place, certain factors which caused extreme fluctuations in the prices of farm produce during the years immediately after the war no longer operate, and greater stability in prices is an immense gain to the settler. Furfher, land, stock, and build-

ing material have generally fallen in value during the last few years, consequently a settler of to-day with the same amount ef capital can make a start on a better-equipped farm thau could the settler a few years ago. Lastly, Xew Zealand has now recovered from a. period of depression, and the value of farm products has risen in relation to the cost of production. It was certainly the opinion of nearly all

farmers whom I,met that, though many failed since the war, and many others weie hard hit, the prospects of all ex-

cept those of some fruitgrowers were growing more and more 'hopeful."

General Wauchope deals with phases .of the subject which are all wellknown to people of the Dominion —the ;journey out and Government assistance,

shortage of houses, wages, societies for

assisting settlers, land juices, and pub lie school-boy settlers. '' New Zealand," he says, "lias been called tho Britain of the Pacific, the Britain with

more sun. It is, however, a poor compliment to say that, one country is like another. New Zealand has a beauty and character of its own. In the

variety of its scenery lies perhaps its greatest charm. The snow-covered mountains of the West, the country of forest and bush, yielding every year to the attacks of pioneers and new settlers, the volcanic districts of tlie North, and the well-watered valleys green with pastures of unequalled richness are praised by every traveller, as they are loved by all her people."

Another article from the pen of Mr Fenton Macpherson—his fourth —appears in the "Daily Chronicle. ,, In it he quotes the advice of a "young, well-educated New Zealander of to-day, who believes in scientific specialised farming , ." He was convinced that the

road to prosperity for new-comers now runs through the dairy-farm. "No slackers wanted, hard work and study," are two of the points -which the Xew Zealander emphasises. .\Fr Macpherson goes on to describe the system of share-milking.

The interest of these articles for Xew Zealanders is the great publicity that is boiiijr given to conditions in the Dominion through these influential London newspapers. Xo longer can the- general public plead ignorance of the overseas countries, or complain

that tlioir information is from prejudiced sources. The articles are -written by English visitors for the English people. This type of information is what, after all, really counts.

"The principle of equality in Russia has become so much of a fetish Avith the people that Uicy do not use any title when addressing each other, even eliminating the common 'Mister,' " said M.. Boris Kostich, when speaking in Chrstchurch on Kussia (reports the "Press"). The usual form of address J is "brother," he said.