PROSPERITY AND IMMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15764, 15 May 1913, Page 6

PROSPERITY AND IMMIGRATION.

The Canadian Minister of Finance is in a happy position. In introducing his first Budget twelve months ago he was able to tell of a " record" yew and announce a realised surplus amounting to nearly eight millions sterling. At the same time he- prophesied a large increase in the revalue for 1912-13, and, although particulars are not furnished in the cablegram referring to his latest Budget, it would seem that Mr White's expectations have been realised. So at least may bo judged from the emphasis he has laid upon the prosperous financial position of the dominion of Canada. The most generally interesting reference made by the Minister of Finance, however, is that relating to immigration. Immigrants were pouring into the country, he observed, at the rate of 1200 a day., This means, as any schoolboy may calculate, that at this rate Canada is increasing her population yearly by over 400,000 persons through the agency of immigration alone. As a matter of fact, the number of immigrants which Canada absorbed in 1911, according to the statistics, was 350,734, this being a record up to that date. The figures for last year apparently show a further increase. Roughly speaking, the proportion of British emigrants in this influx of population to Canada is rather more than a third. A welcome tendency in.British emigration of late has been its diversion more and more to British rather than to foreign countries,, and Australia and New Zealand have both benefited appreciably from an increased arrival of immigrants during the past year, although not to any large extent at Canada's expense. Giving evidence before the Dominions Royal Commission in November last Mr John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, stated that the figures for the first nine months of 1912 suggested that tho total emigration from the United Kingdom for tie year would be 267,000, of which 82 per cent, would go to .the British Empire and 18 per cent, to foreign countries. The marvellous difference brought about in a- decade in relation to tho destination of emigrants from the United Kingdom is illustrated by the fact that the proportion going to the dominions ten years ago was only 23 per cent. The number of British emigrants in 1911 was 262,000, the largest hitherto on record, but thefe can be little doubt that it will be considerably exceeded by the total for last year. The facts only offer the stronger reason why Australia and New Zealand should endeavour to divert this great moving tide of population with increasing strength towards their own shores. Canada offers a remarkable ilhiKtration of the compensating results that attond a vigorous and comprehensive immigration policy. Her great present prosperity \& duo to the rapid development of her immenso powers of production which would have been impossible without immigration on a large Bcale. Tho stress laid by tho Canadian Minister of Finance upon tho im-

portance of tie immigration factor in contributing to the wealth of the country is seen in the statement by Mr White that immigrants brought into Canada £30,000,000 worth of capital per annum. This may seem a somewhat startling statement at first glance, but whether the estimate be on the high side or not, it illustrates, in a way which countries other than Canada should be able to appreciate, the importance of the reminder that immigration not only increases the productivity of a country and the domestic demand for its products, but adds in an important degree to the amount of capital, with all its potentialities for development, in general circulation. '