OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 26 April 1921, Page 2

OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT

LAST YEAR’S RECORD ARRIVALS INNEW ZEALAND LONDON. Pel). 24. i According to the report of the Oversea Settlement Committee, which Ims just been published in the form of a White Paper, the number of applications for free passages received during last year numbered 64,043, covering about 130,000 persons, inclusive of dependants. The number of free passages S‘ id was 20.155. representing some persons. Of these Canada received 6118 men and 1851 women; Australia 4429 men and 1051 women ; New Zealand 3574 men and 398 women: and South Africa 4.319 men and 318 women. It is .unhappily true the report pro-ceeds,-that* considerable numbers of exservice men are at present unemployed, ajid tfiough unemployment has been less in. extent during the present winter than at certain times during the war. the (act that it has affected numerous ex-sorvico men makes it a source of' speial anxiety, and justifies the adopt ion of special measures tending either directly or indirectly to afford relief. A policy of settlement and development—stimulating production overseas, and thus strengthening the best market for the manufactures of the Mother Country — is, in the opinion of the committee, one of the measures which deserve consideration, but it cannot be over-emphasised that the relief afforded by such a policy would ho largely indirect. It is clearly impossible for the self-governing Dominions to receive the unemployed of the Mother Country, even if they are ex-service men who have fought for the Empire, except in cases where those Governments are satisfied that the men in question will find suitable work, and will not continue to be unemployed when they arrive overseas. Last year the committee expressed the view that there wore special grounds for granting State aid for the settlement of women overseas. They adhere to this view, and are strongly in favour of encouraging by State aid, and Stale supervision, the settlement overseas of large numbers of women, if and in so far as adequate arrangements can be made for their reception and employment. The chief openings for women overseas are in domestic service, and it is understood that the Dominions are prepared to accept large numbers of suitable women for this purpose, even though they are untrained. Women

who are not prepared to undertake domestic service in the United Kingdom are prepared to go overseas, where such service may lead to fuller and happier conditions of life than are available for them in this country. The committee regard the oversea settlement of Poor Law and oilier suitable children as highly beneficial. They are of opinion that any scheme of State aid should include adequate facilities for the settlement of children overseas, if and in so far as suitable .arrangements ran be made for their reception and welfare. ’ It is considered desirable to establish a system of advancing passages, railway fares, and incidental expenses to men and women with their dependants who can he engaged in this country through the machinery of the Minister ,for Labour for definite work in Hie Dominions. It is suggested that, his Majesty’s Government should assume ibis responsibility, and that the Dominion authorities should he invited to assist in recoving those advances. Under such an arrangement workers proceeding to take up employment overseas would arrive bound by no obligation or contract to serve any particular employer —thus obviating the objection of the trade unions to anything Avhich is in the nature of contract labour. The principle of advancing fares has already been adopted internally in this country, and in Dm Dominions in the. case of persons proceeding from one district to another for the purpose of obtaining employment. It should, therefore, be an easy matter to extend the principle as suggested.