MIGRATION FIGURES.

Northern Advocate, 9 February 1925, Page 4

MIGRATION FIGURES.

Among the statistics issued last week by the Government Statistician were those covering the movement of the population. In 1924 the immigrants arriving in the Dominion to become permanent residents totalled 14,314, an increase of 2552 over the 1923 total. Among the people who left the Dominion during the year with no intention of returning were 2256 who up till then had been regarded as permanent residents, so that the net gain to the country from external migration during, the twelve months was 12,058. The Statistician remarks that the movement of population disclosed by the returns was mainly within the Empire, but there is one feature that ,is worthy of special notice, namely, the influx of foreign nationals, particularly from the Southern European countries of Jugo-Slavia, Italy, and Greece. During the twelve months 447 Jugo-Slavs, 52 Italians, and 20 Greeks arrived to take up permanent residence, and these figures show a substantial increase over those for 1923, when the three respective totals were 79, 25, and 6. Altogether 833 foreign nationals came last year to. settle in the Dominion, as compared with 349 in 1923. The proportion of Southern Euroj)eans among last year's arrivals was less than 4 per cent., so that the position is not alarming, ftfany of the people from the warmer countries of Europe make useful settlers, but some do not, and it is desirable that this feature of the immigration movement should be watched. Migration of British people is what is wanted throughout the Empire, though the Dominions are not as active as they should be in promoting it. The Empire Economic" Conference of 192.3 evolved an important scheme to finance developmental work in the Dominions and aid stttlement by means of migration. Under that scheme loans to an amount of some 125 millions sterling were to be made available during a period of five years on terms very favourable to the Dominions and calculated to stimulate British industries and trade. Unfortunately a year was allowed to pass without a single loan being obtained on these conditions by any Dominion. Australia, however, according to a recent statement, is beginning to utilise the Motherland's help. The Commonwealth is to borrow from Britain and lend to the States a sum of 20 millions sterling. For the first five years the British. Government will pay half the interest charges on the loan, and for another five years it will pay one-third of these charges. With the loan further subsidised by the Commonwealth, the Australian States undertake to ab.soi'b 10,000 immigrants for every £750,000 of loan money. This apjie/irs to bo a practical scheme of financial' Co-operation, offering valuable mutual advantages. Assuming that the loans are wisely spent, Australia will benefit by an acceleration of development works on financial terms so easy that these works should be directly or indirectly revenue-pro-ducing well before ( the full interest charge becomes operative. The, prospective advantages, to Britain are an enlarged demand for the output of some of her depressed industries and a permanent broadening of her Empire markets. As a manufacturing and exporting nation Britain is likely to ob tain excellent returns from wisely subsidising special development works in the overseas Empire. The opportunity of participating in financial assistance on these lines should not be neglected in this country. New Zealand is not as well placed as some of the other Dominions to open up big schemes of immigration and new settlement, but there certainly should be a careful examination of all the possibilities of expediting development, and production in the generous conditions of financial assistance which Britain has granted to Australia, and no doubt is ready to grant to any Dominion. It is of the utmost importance that the scheme of Imperial finance links up settlement with development, work, for it is by that means that the Dominions can best regulate the flow of migrants. The more British people" we are able to bring.into this country the less room there will be for foreigners.