The New Zealand Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 19211 A GOOD EXAMPLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10924, 11 June 1921, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 19211 A GOOD EXAMPLE

West Australia’s Agent-General has, by authority of bis Government, answered favourably the appeal of the United Kingdom for co-operation in the emigration policy now believed to be necessary for the relief of the Kingdom from post-war difficulties. The appeal, though not formal, is very real. Whether this way out of the difficulties is right or wrong is a question for the United Kingdom to settle for itself. The overseas / Dominions addressed have only to consider whether a favourable answer lies in their power. The Kingdom can debate the right or wrong of a policy which cannot give a share of the soil to the men whose valour preserved the British right to the soil. The overseas having declared their strong determination to help the United Kingdom in all possible ways, have to consider only whether this possible way—by cooperation in an emigration policy—is feasible. The question concerns all. West Australia has replied with an emphatic acceptance. The answer framed by the Prime Minister, and delivered at the West Australian dinner by the Agent-General, is to • the point: ‘ ‘The spaces are crying out for population, and the industries are awaiting further development.’’ This the Agent-General translated into three terms: “Mining enterprise, land development, immigration.” The meaning is beyond doubt. “We are in the pioneering stage, and we want more pioneers.” The proof that West Australia is ready to receive this pioneer reinforcement is expressed in the Prime Minister’s words: “Unemployment is non-existent.” That is a very fortunate position. It is due to the fact that West Australia was left behind in the race of development which began eighty years ago. New South Wales at that time was stumbling along with difficulty, under the hardship of the convict system; South Australia had made a beginning with a somewhat hopeless outlook ; Victoria was struggling to become an appendage of “Van Diemen’s Land”; and Queensland was the country of the blacks of Moreton Bay. Gold suddenly shed its radiance over three embryo States, and they went ahead. West Australia was left in the lurch. Captain Grey had mode his wonderful explorations, and returning, with his life almost miraculously preserved, had been switched off to South Australia; and after ho had reduced that place to order was shot off to New Zealand, where his hand made the impression which will never be effaced. But West Australia, while the other States went forward at the rate of knots, remained in the Doldrums. After many years there came a mighty strike of goid in this becalmed ship of State. She sprang her cable’s length, thanks to tho new motive power, and' forced the admiration of tho world, , which regarded her as the coining principal in the world of gold production. But tho

new motive power, reaching the “peak” with the famous “golden mile,” reinforced by the greatest water-pumping scheme of modern times —designed and completed by our Mr C. Y. O’Connor, after he left the New Zealand Government’s service for the Westralian—gradually fell in effectiveness. And thus is Westralia once more in the position of the pioneer. The belated goldfields success had not had time to advance pioneering before the falling-off. The assets of pioneering are still available, undiminished. Therefore, Westralia can quite safely appeal for more pioneers. We all hope she may get them. The more so as the system now open to her is based on the principle that the flow of emigration from Britain must he kept within the British Empire.

Can the other overseas Dominions follow this fine Westralian example? That question the Dominions must answer each for itself. New Zealand can, of course, accept the principle that British blood must, however much it may wander iu search of a home, remain under the British flag. About that first principle there is no difficulty whatever. The next question is: “How is the reception of immigrants to be made profitable?” The problem is to make independent the,people who, arriving hero have nothing but goodwill, good muscle, and good brains—of the best British brand, remember —as their equipment. The only possible answer is that we must somehow make the success of these people certain. In surveying onr situation certain truths are seen to be prominent. Eor example, we cannot have any dog in our manger. Neither can we permit any immigration system to be made the basis of extreme land values. The Canterbury pioneers, in the “ ’eighties,” opened a great policy of settlement, inviting farmers of Britain to come and see farms here for themselves. A of Lincolnshire farmers accepted, were escorted round the Canterbury Plains with punctilious politeness . and lavish hospitality, and discovered that they were expected to invest with enthusiasm at ruinous prices. That is not the way to answer the appeal from tho United Kingdom for help. It is, on the contrary, the way of dishonour. The first thing to do is to fix moderately the selling price of land. That, in view of the vagaries of the produce markets, ought not to be difficult. The second thing in to find land to offer to immigrants'. Here, again, prices must be reasonable, with the strongest possible safeguard against inflation. There remains the willingness to 6ell properties at all, until prices rise high enough to make fortunes for landholders. That is an affair a£ taxation. It is useless to discuss that affair now. But until it is discussed, and settled against the holders of land for exorbitant prices, it will he futile to talk about immigration of settlers, or any other people, to this Dominion. We 6peak, of course, of immigration on a great scale. Some immigration well selected and prepared for may go on somehow or anyhow, and will be beneficial within limits. Bub Before we can undertake any great comprehensive policy we must set our house in better order than it is.