RE ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13894, 4 May 1907, Page 12

RE ASSISTED IMMIGRATION.

j^R,—Although not generally in accord with that body politically, 1 heartily agree with tho motion passed hy tho Independent Political Labour League at tho meeting hold on Tuesday night relative to the Minister of Labour being approached regarding tho stopping of assisted immigration. Thero is certainly 110 doubt that closer settlement of tho colony is desirable, but it is also ccrtain the class of men that is being Induced to como bore is not tho sort that is required. Many of the immigrants; although pretty well every man professes to have a trade, go in for unskilled labouring wort, whilo ?f the few who are of tho farming class is is a very small proportion who have any money over the minimum sum required before the reduced passago rato can bo obtained, and as. those, owing to their ignorance of colonial methods, earn but small wages, it will be a long timo before they can save up enough money to "go on tbo lan<]." Everv year or eo tho " unemployed " difficulty . crops up, and wo do not want this troublo made worse by further importation from Britain. I think tho Labour bodies would do well if they asked Mr Arnold and Mr Barclay to take up the matter and bring it ■ before the House.—l am, etc. Laboueer.