AUSTRALASIAN NEEDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15519, 29 January 1914, Page 7

AUSTRALASIAN NEEDS.

PACIFIC CABLE -RATES.

"A LACK OF ENTERPRISE."

REDUCTION RECOMMENDED.

OVERCROWDED CITIES.

HOSTILITY TO EMIGRANTS.

By Telegraph Association— (Received January 28, 10, p.m.) I London, January 28. In the ieport on Australasia just issued by the Empire Trade Commission, the commissioners comment on the anomaly of the Commonwealth charging a.terminal rate of 5d a word for the .transmission of the Pacific Cable Board's messages, whereas Now Zealand . charges only Id. New Zealand cables should, the commission thinks, be reduced from 3s to 2s 8d a word. # The Pacific Board has not shown any enterprise, remarks the report, which goes on to say, it might reasonably be expected that the laudable desire to abolish the deficits had obscured the Board's vision of its larger and more urgent duties- " To spend £2,000,000, and then leave the cable comparatively idle for twothirds of the day, is neither commercial policy nor commonsense." . Cable Communication. Regarding cable communication, tho report urges that week-end messages should be telegraphed, and the use of registered addresses allowed.

. "In our opinion the development of a cheap cable service is a potent factor in Empire consolidation. The present cable rates to Australasia arc too high and practically restrict the use of cables on the part of the commercial classes and check free intercourse between Britain and the Dominions- Drastic reforms arc needed." Question of Preference. "Referring to the .question of preference, the report says: " Throughout Australasia we were deeply impressed by the desire of all classes to deal with the British. Empire rather than with foreign nations." The report states that the commissioners found a, desire on the part of all classes to deal with the British' Empire rather than with foreign nations. .' ; Commenting on, the excess lof male population the Dominion commissioners maintain 4 that the greatest care is needed before any pronouncement as -to the extent tnc * surplus women of Britain are available for immigration, because* over half the present surplus exceed 40 years of ag*., •' , . 7.. The Family Difficulty. * . Discussing i female emigration, .report states: ~ ' The ..surplus . of, women. in Britain mainly resides in the towns, and consists for the most part of elderly ladies and servants, who can ill be spared from the ranks of the female domestics 5, already de-

pleted by the! demands of commerce and industry. in the United , Kingdom." . . > , Dealing with the difficulty of family migration, the commissioners state that parents are often too old to settle comfortably. A man is tempted to establish himself prematurely as a farm owner or a tenant on ready made farms. "Farming on the share system is extending ill Australia, -and this is highly* commendable. The organisation of family migration will entail considerable public expense before an ideal system is reached." - The .report states that it is undesirable to leave the duty of describing the attractions 'of the Dominions to interested passage agents. . The commission is arranging for further investigations of the results embodied in the final report. Labour-saving Machinery.

Discussing migration, the report says that labour saving machinery is much more used in agriculture in Australia and New Zealand than in Europe. Comparisons show that the proportion of. the population engaged in agriculture and pastoral pursuits is smaller than in the United States, and many European countries. • The town population is excessive. Since the Mother Country is already dependent upon' the colonies overseas for a considerable proportion of her food; and raw material, the commission is impressed with the desirability of as large a portion as possible of the Dominions being occupied by a population which will assist in the development of the primary industries.

* Best Age of Immigrants. The best age of the immigrants is 16 to 24. Town-bred youths often find their feet more quickly than rustics. *■ Australia's and New Zealand's requirements are. largely fulfilled by well-disposed youths whom the environment of the United Kingdom has forced into " blind alley" employments and youths from the industrial schoolsThe commission found no evidence that only those who followed agriculture in the Old Country can. become successful agriculturists in the new- There is a strong undercurrent of opposition in Australia and New Zealand to emigration, principally among the urban wageearners and artisans who regard immigration as likely to increase the competition in the skilled labour market. The commission believes that this hostility arises mainly from the present defects of' the immigration system. Time-Expired Soldiers. The possibility of making Greater British labour exchanges deserves close attention, particularly in connection with juvenile emigration. The commission recommends greater co-operation between the Home and ;

Australasian Governments, regarding the migration of discharged British soldiers" from India, many of whom are . willing to go to Australia and NeW Zealand, but find'.difficulty though " already accustomed to 5a climate more trying than Northern Australia. " The saving by direct migration would allow of considerable ■ financial assistance to such emigrants. . f ■■<' The commission is favourably impressed by the German settlements in Queensland and South Australia, arid the Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian farmers in Victoria. Such migration would be a wholesome addition to New Zealand and Southern Australia. < Depth of Suez Canal. j Regarding the Suez,' the commission is impressed with the canal's capacity to deal without undue delay with 15,000 ships as against the present 5000, provided certain traffic regulations are observed. It is also impressed with the canal's increasing ability to take vessels drawing 30ft. But it ■is doubtful whether this will be sufficient to provide for the necessities of quick ocean service to Australia. The fact that the Panama Canal give's a depth of 40ft will accelerate the already rapid increase in the size and draught of ocean carriers. It is doubtful whether the authorities ot Australia and New Zealand harbours are properly alive to the quick increase in draught which is in prospect. The proper- standard is 40ft. Except at Sydney, Hobart, ■Wellington, and Auckland, the facilities are considerably below - the standard, and we' cannot urge too strongly that the governing ' bodies ?f those ports should devote earnest consideration to the problem of deepening their harbours.

. The Mail Contract. Any semi-automatic renewal of the mail contract , with a - slight, improvement in speed and conditions and a slight decrease in cost would be inadequate as . a solution of the problem, which needs to be handled on broader lines, giving full consideration to all the variants, particularly the speed restrictions in the Suez. : There '• are grave reasons to doubt the " ,reality. of the competition under the , present arrangements. The continuance of the quasi monopoly for a long period, probably previous to. the development -of shipping, has removed a great incentive to • the construction of faster ships. No mail contract is satisfactory which does not provide for a sea speed considerably in excess of that of the unsubsidised liners. . . -* '■ .. '' V