GROUP SETTLEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19107, 28 February 1924, Page 7

GROUP SETTLEMENT

FIRST QUOTA FOR “WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Pres* Association— By Telegraph—Copyrismt LONDON, February 26. The steamer Diogenes, which is taking the first group of Beeds settlers to Western Australia, is calling at Plymouth on Sunday to pick up a second contingent of Devon and Cornwall intending settlers, numbering 130 men, women, and children, —A. and N.Z. Cable.

The first group of Leeds families for the West Australian group scheme of settlement was accorded a civic farewell at Leeds prior to embarkation on the Diogenes on February 25. The Lord Mayor said that the ship’s name pointed to a line of conduct for them. “Whatever comes,” he said, “take it philosophically. Don’t spend time grousing, plod steadily forward towards the goal.” Mr J. D. Birchall, M.P., the originator of the scheme, said tjhat he was convinced that the movement was only beginning. Time would see a new Leeds in Australia. Mr Lunn commended family migration, which ■ was of greater extension than hitherto. He said that we should have to revise our ideas of suitable settlers for the dominions. There were too many men and too few women. He was anxious to retain the mother influence everywhere. The regulations ought to be stretched to enable every facility to be given for whole families to migrate together. The Labour Government would not be behind any party in this direction. Mr W. Grimshaw, a Leeds ex-police-man, in returning thanks on behalf of the families, said they realised that many hardships were to be faced, but most of them possessed the chief attributes to contend with those difficulties.