VITAL PROBLEM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 5 October 1936, Page 8

VITAL PROBLEM

EMPIRE MIGRATION LORD ELIBANK’S PLEA FOOD AND DEFENCE The importance of migration in the economy of the British Empire was emphasised by Lord Elibank, president of the Federation of the Chambers ot Commerce of the British Empire, in a broadcast address. He also dealt with recent changes in agricultural policy in the United Kingdom, and stressed the importance of maintaining the rural population of Great Britain.

“Possibly the two most important questions that will come before us will be the Ottawa Agreements and the subject of migration,” stated Lord Elibank. “Both are of vital importance to the Empire, and I have no doubt will lead to long and interesting discussions. I am one of those who believe that whilst in some respects the Ottawa Agreements may have fallen short of expectations, the foundations that were laid at the Ottawa Conference were sound and solid, and that whilst parts of the edifice erected upon timse foundations probably will require adjustment and alteration from time to time, Empire trade which has already benefited considerably, as you in New Zealand know to your advantage, will, so long as the Ottawa policy is maintained, go on expanding and improving. “There will always be some sacrifices in arriving at a common end amongst a group of countries, but if the results in the aggregate justify ihese sacrifices, then these should be made, and it is in that spirit I believe that the Empire units should approach and carry out the Ottawa Agreements.

UNSETTLED SPACES “Bui, bound up with this issue, is the subject of migration, which must soon begin to play again a prominent part in the expansion of the Dominions. No country can afford to remain static, and a young country less than any other. There arc three Dominions in the British Commonwealth of Nations which still have wide open spaces for a purely white settlement. These Dominions, of which New Zealand is one, will no doubt be considering, as their economic conditions arc now so improved, the possibility of securing immigrants from Great Britain. 1 wish to assure the people of New Zealand that we. as a federation, have this subject very much at heart, and that we are prepared to do what we can to help it forward, but the final decision, of course, rests with the Governments of the Dominions themselves, as is right in view of problems arising out of unemployment with which they have to deal. I should like, however, to say this: that I believe that the residue of unemployment which is left in these Dominions will be more quickly reduced by bringing in fresh people, because they will not only create employment for themselyes, but more employment for others. Internal trade must in this way increase an'd external trade likewise benefit. MOTHER COUNTRY’S BURDEN

“In view of the dangerous times in which we live, additional population is required in the Dominions not only for their development but for purposes of defence of their valuable territories, otherwise too lai'ge a burden may be thrown upon the Mother Country, who may not be able in the changed conditions Of the world to sustain by herself the enormous effort required. Let us rather look upon this subject as a transference of peoples from an over-populated part of the Empire, namely, Great Britain, to other parts of the Empire that are under-populated. In this way migration would take on a different aspect and Vv’ould merely mean a shifting of people from one British place to another. AIR COMMUNICATION

"Easier and more rapid means of communication through . air service and air mails is bringing the British peoples all over the world closer together and enabling them to know and to see each other’s wants and conditions and problems in a manner which before has never been possible. Situated as the Empire countries are in every quarter of the globe it should be our special effort to develop our air services, both for passengers and mails, to the fullest extent possible and to make the charges for both as cheap as can be. It is gratifying to know that the Governments of the Empire, including your Government, have this matter very seriously in hand and that they are doing their best to forge this new link as rapidly and as effectively as possible

"There has been considerable controversy in the Empire regarding the retention for the home farmer of a> larger part of his own market in agricultural products. The real reasons for this are, and I am sure you will appreciate them, that in the first instance agriculture during the economic crisis declined enormously and many farms in different parts of the United Kingdom went almost out of cultivation. It has therefore been necessary to taxe such steps as would enable these farms to be restored at least to their former degree of production. “In the former place, there is the necessity for maintaining a sufficiency of home supplies for defence purposes in the event, of war, and the third reason, which I am certain will appeal to you in New Zealand, the greater part of whose population derives its livelihood from the land, is that the only v/ay to ensure A 1 people is to have a sufficiently large agricultural population to form the basis of the race. “In Great Britain, owing to their leaving the country for the towns, there is a fear that the basic stock of the people may degenerate. If. therefore, you are not able to market all the agricultural products you would wish to owing to quota restrictions you will realise that the underlying motive in Great Britain is not a selfish one but the result of the force of circumstances. Although even as it is I think you will agree that we afford to you a very large and important market for your agricultural products.

“Peacefully as you live in New Zealand, the times are nevertheless dangerous, and at no period of the Empire’s history has it been more necessary for the peoples of the Empire to collaborate and co-ordinate their affairs. Your statesmen in New Zealand have invariably shown their belief in this policy and in recent utterances your Prime Minister has emphasised this. This is also the policy of our federation and when we conclude our Congress here in New Zealand I trust that we will be able to claim that the fruits of our labours will be of practical benefit to the Empire.”