THE DOMINIONS ROYAL COMMISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15705, 6 March 1913, Page 4

THE DOMINIONS ROYAL COMMISSION.

SITTING IN WELLINGTON. (Pee United Pbess Association.) , _ WELLINGTON, March 5. The Dominions Royal Commission was ■welcomed to Wellington to-day by Mr A.' •E. Mabin (president of the .Wellington Chamber of Commerce), who assured the l members of the affection of the New Zealand people for the Mother Country, and their loyalty and fealty to tho Crown. In response, Sir Edgar Vincent -said that everybody at Home regarded New Zealand as one of the brightest jewels in tho British Empire, and as one of the portions of the realms of the British Crown which everybody looked forward to as being certain to develop most rapidly _ and most brilliantly, and to carry on in a noble manner the old traditions of tho British race. Tho commission met for formal business in the afternoon, when Mr Mabin read a statement. He said his chamber favoured the encouragement of immigrants from Great Britain, . who would become producers, particularly tho furthering of any scheme having in view the immigration of young people. The immigrant most desirable was the farmer and farm labourer. "There is a never-ceasing cry from tho agricultural community for labourers," added Mr Mabin. " During harvest time and sheaHng the position becomes very acute. We do not, however, require a class of worker who can only find employment during the summer, and who has to remain idle during the rest of -the year, but in, bush-felling, fencing, stumping, and , road making there ar<} avenues of work which will afford employment during the winter months." .Mr Mabin suggested provision being made for small, holdings in all country districts for agricultural labourers, which would increase ihe productiveness of the country. There was a shortage of labour, both male and female, in nearly all factories and industries, and there was a cail for ' all young capable men and women who were ready to adapt themselves, to colonial life. "The labour organisations," Mr Mabin went on, "do not favour immigration. They fear that if .the present shot'tago of labour ceased wages would fall. Thw is, however, a narrow view and not a national one, and not necessarily true. This land is not people as it ought to be. "We must'produce enough, to'pay for our imports and our interest obligations, and must' become more productive even to pay our way. Wearenotdoing thisat present by several millions per annum. To increase our production wo require to get more out of the land, and this we can only do by putting more work into tho land—by smaller holdings, by closer settlement, and more scientific farming, coupled with a careful expenditure of Government and municipal moneys. The natural corollary is the opening up of the unoccoupied lands of the dominion for ■ settlement and the roading of the back-blocks as against expenditure in the shape of costly Government harbour and municipal works which may be ahead of a 6maJl dominion, and cause heavy outgoings in the shape of interest charges, in some cases with no adequate corresponding return." Tho Wellington Chamber hid no objection to the issue of bills of lading for wool which had not been despatched by the vessel specified. Tho shipping companies in New Zealand were very careful to nominate the steamer which would carry the wool promptly after tho bills were itsued. New Zealand had little lo complain of regarding the mail or cargo services from Great Britain; but there appeared to bo room for a reduction of the cable rates. With regard to tho double income tax, the majority of members of tho Wellington Chamber inclined to view that whero a manufacturer carried on a business in New Zealand through an agent, and in effect became a. resident of the dominion through that agent, he should pay income tax on profits made in tho dominion. The Wellington' Chamber approval of a uniform invoice., certificate throughout tho. Empire. Mr Mabin referred to a proposal to grow certain herbs for' drugs in New Zealand,' and to the impossibility of obtaining girl labour or labour of any kind to gather tho herbs at the proper Mason, when everyone was busy with He thought tho Empire should bo no,longer dependent upon foreign sources for the supply of petrol and oil, but that every effort should ho made to d>:cover and develop the oil deposits in British territory. He referred to what .was being done in the Taranaki, West Coast, and Upper Wellington districts to develop oil deposits.

To Sir Rider Haggard: Nc-w Zealand provide for a very large number of icw settlers—perhaps 1000 a year for many yea re.