SETTLERS FOR DOMINION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18965, 12 March 1925, Page 9

SETTLERS FOR DOMINION

SIR J. ALLEN'S VIEWPOINT. LECTURE IN EDINBURGH. A. and N.Z. LONDON. Mar. 10. I The High Commissioner for New Zealand, Sir James Allen, gave a lecture before the Geographical Society at Edinburgh. He said New' Zealanders were the, largest purchasers of British goods on a per capita basis. Inter-Empire communications were essential to the existence of the Dominions. The Washington Conference had not given that assurance, especially as regards the Pacific in the event of war. Sir James said it was useless to reduce unemployment in Britain by increasing the number of unemployed in the Dominions. New Zealand wished to absorb 10,000 people a year, who must become producers. "If you wish us to take more of your peop.e," said Sir James, "you must encourage the consumption of our produce and protect our producers - from foreign competition as far as possible. It is obvious that there is room in New Zealand for more settlers, and it is more obvious still that the. unpeopled condition of Australia constitutes a danger to the Empire." Sir James suggested that delegates to Imperial Conferences should in future represent their whole Parliaments; also that High Commissioners should have wider powers of consultation with British Ministers.