IMPERIAL MIGRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 12

IMPERIAL MIGRATION.

'ARRIVAL OF LORD LOVAT. POLICY OF SETTLEMENT. STUDYING COUNTRY'S NEEDS. FORTNIGHT IN THE DOMINION. Another ambassador of Empire, Lord Lovat, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Dominion Affairs, was most warmly welcomed to Auckland yesterday upon his arrival from Vancouver by the Ningaia to discuss Imperial migration with the Jscw Zealand Government. " I have come with no bard and fast policy. ... 1 have come to learn. . . . Obviously, it is for the Dominions to declaro tho lines along which they wish us to co-operate." These are typical sentences from speeches which tho visitor made in the course of the day. His words made it quite clear tho Empiro settlement scheme is above all to bo adaptable in future, and that the Imperial Government will meet tho Dominions in every reasonable effort to absorb surplus population from tho Old Country. A grey-haired man, with tho build of & cavalryman, an alert manner and a ready smilo, Lord Lovat is certain to make even more friends in New Zealand than did his chief,' Mr. Amcry. Ho is emphatically ..what Americans term a "good mixer," and his personality, added to his lineage, will make his advent a supreme event among New Zealand Scots. Tho visitor, who is accompanied by Mr. F. Skevington, M.8.E., an officer of the British Treasury, was greeted on board the ship by Sir Heaton Rhodes, representing the Government, Mr. H. D. Thomson, Under-Secretary for Immigration, Mr. D. Ardell, of the Department of Internal Affairs, and Colonel H. R. Potter, representing tho New Zealand Military Forces. As the Niagara was nearly an hour late he was taken quickly ashore in a Harbour Board launch and was hurried to tho Town Hall for a civic reception. A luncheon arranged by the Auckland Agricultural ""and Pastoral Association followed, and afterwards tl.e visitor was taken by motor for a sight-seeing trip in tho suburbs, including visits to Mount Eden and tho races at Ellerslie. In a short interview Lord Lovat spoke with satisfaction of his visit to Canada, and of his conferences with the Dominion and provincial governments regarding the application of the Empire Settlement Act. He had found a real desire to co-operate with the Old. Country in increasing British settlement. Ihe re'sults of his conversations were now being discussed by the authorities in Britain, and would be published in due course. After a fortnight in New Zealand ho expected to spend six weeks in Australia, and to leave on December LU. teaching London soon after New Year. This morning Lord Lovat will receive four deputations on .migration and land settlement fit the Town Hall. A luncheon given by the Auckland Chamber of Gom- , ' merco will be followed by a round-table discussion, and at 3.30 the Auckland St. Andrew's Society will hold a reception in the Tudor Tea Rooms. Lord Lovat will leave for, Hamilton by train in tho ' evening, and will go ori to-morrow by road to Rotorua, visiting the Horahora and Arapuni power plants and the Salvation Army bovs' training farm at Putaruru on the way. On Thursday ho will be shown tho Rotorua plantations and will leave for Wairakei, and Napier, which will be reached that evening. After visiting Taranaki, Wellington and the 1 South Island, he is to leave for Sydney on October 25. THE CIVIC WELCOME. NEEDS OF THE PACIFIC. • j " MUST STAND TOGETHER." Although conducted in a hurry, the civic reception to Lord Lovat in trie City Council chamber was a most cordial and happy affair. Fully 200 peopie were present. , _ ; . The deputy-mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, in welcoming the guest, quoted a reference to Lord Lovat as the greatest and most popular of the Highland chiefs of to-dav. Ho was sine New Zealand would gladly hear his appeal on behalf of the unemployed miners of Britain. No doubt ho had heard of the unemployment difficulty in New Zealand, but nevertheless, if the Dominion increased its primary industries Rnd a workable scheme of migration could be agreed upon, there would bo room for more people in the Dominion. They wished Lord Lovat a pleasant visit and every success in his mission. Sir Heaton Rhodes, whb said he had l>een deputed by tho Prirno Minister to offer Lord Lovat a welcome on behalf of the Government and peoplo of New Zealand, regretted the guest's stay would be but short. However, ho trusted he would see the country and would bo able to say on departing, "I like New Zealand, and hope some day to return and visit you again." The last British Parliamentary party to visit New Zealand had included several Scotsmen, but none SO distinguished as Lord Lovat. He was a patriot, a statesman and a soldier—a man who had worked for the Empire and .was working for it. Tho Dominion wanted to help in providing an outlet for the surplus people of Britain. It needed more people, but ' had also to avoid flooding the local labour markot. Ho was sure Lord Lovat, aTtcr being in the country, would appreciate its difficulties. , In 1874 New Zealand had received 30,000 immigrants, and in tho next year 20,000. From 1920 to 1926 an average of 8000 yearly had come in and had been absorbed. The country could absorb immigrants; there was a temporary check nt present, but ho belioved tho former rate would bo resumed later. Perhaps Lord Lovat and the Government .would bo able to mako plans to that end. Mr. W. J. Hold sworth, representing the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League, also welcomed the visitor. "[ cannot arrogate to myself all the gifts and virtues which the deputy-mayor has been kind enough to allot rue." said Lord Lovat, in returning thanks for the welcome, on behalf of himself and Mr. Skevington. Ho had come with no hard-and-fast policy regarding migration; he was simply anxious to learn. He had , had a,most interesting tour of Canada, a great country now in the plenitude of its devo|npir.int. Thero he. had had most valuable conversations with the Dominion and provincial Governments. He hoped theso conversations would Tirovido a comground for action, lho conditions set out, in the Chamberlain report upon which tho Empire Settlet* h( ? en , bilSGfl . still held goo.l r,f /,«'/, '•gained to find definite menus Sh' & E s^ l ih .r whitfi nr>r.»in4!» •, " 11,0 distribution of I wonlrl ■ , w ' lin - tho Empire, cifio thnt this rtr u pnopl ° H of 11,0 I>ft " - I ord Lovat P -n T lB U,Ront '" c,e^red Srcarfar a few groups 0 f whHo , amonTthem and wo must stand together w„ ? I s to seek suggestions S Ini"hnfci lio Hfttisffl.ciory to this atlm Wn i . only a short time in New Zealand lmTl , , hopo. to uring ideas, well thought out „ now m tho air, down to earth You/wM - ~ W'ls to us a goo' i nngury for V■; tho work wo have to do hero." 8 y