IMMIGRATION POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18565, 24 November 1923, Page 13

IMMIGRATION POLICY.

ALTERATIONS APPROVED.

MEN FOR FARM WORK.

EXPERIENCE NOT ESSENTIAL.

[from our OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, Oct. 19. Mr. Massey has to certain changes in the policy affecting the choice of migrants in this country which should go some way towards increasing the numbers. The nomination system, however desirable, necessarily limits the choice of suitable' people. This system is to continue, but there are certain classes wh# do no£ require to be nominated-farm labourers and domestic servants. It is m respect to the selection of these that greater latitude is to be given to Mr. F. T. Sandford, Migration Officer, acting for' the High Commissioner in London. The New Zealand Prime Minister and Mr. Sandford have been in consultation with Colonel A. Buckley, chairman of the Overseas Settlement Committee, this weeK and as a result it has been agreed to authorise the Migration Department to accept as farm labourers, ana at passage rates approved for farm labourers, young men who have had little or no experience in farm work, but who are, in the High Commissioner's opinion, suitable to undertake such work New Zealand. These men would be required to sign the undertaking to remain in farm work for *• period of at least a year, and it is proposed to include in the undertaking an agnomen t to repay the amount of £5 10s for which preference is given, in the event of their not carrying out their undertaking to remain in farm work. Only a limited number of such men would be included in any ship. Girls For Domestic Work. It is quite evident at present .that there are large numbers of young men of a mental capacity greatly, superior to tho average ' English farm labourer who are unable to obtain a nomination for themselves, but who would be willing to bind themselves to serve on farms for a certain period. The latitude thus given to the High Commissioner and the Migration Officer is a very important one, and should those chosen in this way turn out to be useful and teachable farm labourers, no doubt their numbers would be substantially increased in the future. These men. of course, would not expect from the farmers the wages given to experienced men. » It has been further agreed that the Migration Department be authorised to accept, without nomination, girls whose only _ experience in domestic work is that required in their own homes, so lone as those homes are proved to be 'a satisfactory type, and also girls whose domestic experience has been obtained by means of training in orphanages or in other similar institutions. These girls will *su out to the Dominion as members of the conducted domestic parties. It is probable that this new class of domestic worker would not have to learn or unlearn a great deal more in New Zealand than the girl who has had experience as a domestic servant in England. English Public School Boys. A third innovation refers to boys of the English public school class. The Mjgra tion Department is to be authorised vo accept, without nomination, boys of this class in reasonable numbers, for the present not more than twenty to ' travel in any one ship. Arrangements can be made in New Zealand, Mr. Massey suggests, to accommodate the boys for a limited period on one of the experimental farms, pending the time they can be placed m suitable positions. It is suggested that none of the boys should be under the age of seventeen. A question which will have ,to be settled is whether these lads shall be indentured to serve for four or five years under the terms of the Masters and Apprentices Amendment Act, 1920. This binds the lad for a term of years to A certain farmer, but gives him the right to appeal to the Minister for Agriculture if conditions are not satisfactory, the Minister having power to cancel the indenture at any time. It is thought that parents in this country would be in favour of this measure of control being placed upon their sons. It is quite evident that numbers of the lads may be in an independent posi tion with regard to money, and on the first disagreement with their emnlovnis would be likely, to pack up and seek the; distractions of the towns. . For their own good and also for the satisfaction of their parents it would probably be desirable that they should subject themselves to the discipline of the Act and remain as wards of the Minister for Agriculture, for s term of years. In addition, of course, the Act gives the farmers that measure of control which is . desirable to counteract a natural and, youthful inconstancy.