Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1936 THE EMPIRE’S GREATEST PROBLEM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 3 October 1936, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1936 THE EMPIRE’S GREATEST PROBLEM

MR A. LEIGH HUNT, F.R.G.S., the well-known Wellingtonian, recently delivered an address to the Wellington Branch of the English-Speaking Union upon the subject ol migration, with special application to New Zealand s vital need for a greater population. The density of population in this country is 15 people to the square mile. In Australia it is 2. In Japan it is 453, but many parts of that country arc mountainous —only a fraction of its soil is arable —and the density of population in the habitable parts of the country is 1500 people to the square mile. The inferences to be drawn from that fact are obvious. Already the nations of the over-popu-lated countries of Europe are beginning to exhibit dissatisfaction with their lack of space. Italy has endeavoured to solve the problem by annexing Abyssinia. Japan has practically annexed Korea, Manchuria, and vast tracts of Northern China, and is credited with a desire to expand southwards in the Pacific, anil the temptation in that direction is enhanced by the comparatively small populations of the Commonwealth oi Australia and New Zealand. Sir Philip Gibbs recently wrote on this important matter:

The Dominions must open their gates to emigration from many lands, or as surely as the sun rises and rivers flow, they will be forced to do so. The over-crowded countries of Europe are jealous of the Empire because its Dominions and Colonies contain vast unfilled territories awaiting human settlement and development. Foreigners say that the British have grabbed ail the earth’s empty spaces, and are not utilising them. Our great Dominions must ease the congestion of over-crowded, over - industrialised countries. Otherwise a combination of Powers will say to the Empire: “You have too much land. We have too little. You dogs-in-tlie-manger, unless you give us access to your empty spaces, we will smash our way in and take possession.” This is the* plain truth of the enormous stirrings beneath the surface of human life in this unrestful world.

Another well-known publicist writes as follows: Tiie future of New Zealand is pregnant with tragedy which will be unequalled in history. The mere thought of this country coming under the domination of the yellow races makes us shudder. Please God this tragedy will be still-born, or that I shall not live to see it.

The argument of this and other writers is that if the Dominions are not populated as they should be, other nations, whose territories are not sufficient for their expansion, will demand possession of them, or at least Ihe right of free admission to them. Mr Leigh Hunt points out that by far the best plan for New Zealand’s solution of the problem presented by her dangerously small population, would be by natural increase (if that were speedily possible) but that, in the circumstances which exist, a comprehensive plan of immigation is necessary, preferably by moving sturdy, self-re-liant folk from the over-populated British Isles to this country. General Sir Hubert Gough recently said, on this question: “The hour is rapidly approaching when an overcrowded world under ambitious leaders ....

will demand to know why we should be allowed to continue to hold these large areas doing little or nothing to populate them. . . Mr L. C. Amery, English Conservative statesman, recently tabled a motion in the Commons opposing the transfer of British Colonics and mandated territories, in reference to which incident Mr Leigh Hunt says: “I believe the time is surely coming when there must be a stocktaking, and an equitable distribution of the empty spaces of the world. In my opinion it is the only lasting basis of world-peace.” It would be far better for the Dominions themselves to solve this problem than to have it solved by other nations, with the support of the League of Nations. It would be far better for the Dominions to make their own arrangements for filling their empty spaces than to have them filled by other nations, perhaps in a manner which would be disastrous to the indigenous nations which have made the Dominions what they are. The problem could best be solved by the Dominions and Great Britain in conjunction, and the sooner the statesmen of the British Commonwealth of Nations (including Great Britain) convene with a view to finding a solution, the better it will be for all concerned. This vital subject is not being lost sight of by the Congress of the British Empire’s Chambers of Commerce which opened in Wellington yesterday.