PUBLICITY AND IMMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19615, 20 October 1925, Page 13

PUBLICITY AND IMMIGRATION.

CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON. REPORT BY MR P. R. SARGOOD. At the conference recently held in Wellington for the purpose of considering the questions of publicity and immigration as they affect the Dominion, some valuable suggestions were made in reference to . increased activity in both matters, and various schemes were formulated to be handed to the Government requesting its favourable acceptance. Mr P. R, Sargood represented the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce in Wellington and at last night’s meeting of the Council of the Chamber the secretary handed in a lengthy report from Mr Sargood. of which the following is a summary :

TOURISTS AND PUBLICITY. Mr Sargood reported that it was apparent at the outset of the conference that the Government could hardly be expected to find such a sum as £50,000 at present, and it was doubtful if the scheme suggested would find favour with Cabinet. The- conference resolved that the Government be set up a tourist and publicity board; that the publicity fund be controlled by the executive committee to bo set .up by the conference after negotiations with the private interests concerned; that the board oopsist of seven Government nominees and an equal number elected by non-Gqvernment services. A committee of seven was set up to go into the matter of appointing the board and approach non-Government services for financial assistance. _ Mr Sargood was of opinion that a complete survey of all Dominion attractions should be made, and that itineraries, should be carefully tabulated. When this was done all parties interested, from a business point of view, should be invited to join in a general publicity campaign, including the Government Departments, under central control, but in the meantime as much publicity should be given to this important branch of primary industries as possible, in order to educate public opinion. Such a scheme would take considerable thne, and co-operation amongst , progress ■_ leagues, chambers of commerce, and other interested traders. IMMIGRATION QUESTION. After much information had. been .imparted, the conference decided that a corn- : missioner should be appointed in each' district to forward the interests of the Dominion Settlement Association, and an Interim committee was appointed to prepare a constitution for the association, complete the surveys begun in the conference, raise funds and establish headquarters, and appoint officers. _ * j _ • ; In Mr Sargood’s opinion the question of extending the scope of immigration was so closely connected with politics in the Dominion that great care must be exercised in promoting any great extension until a comprehensive survey wee made, and the housing question was more' secure. Although it was conceded that New Zealand could absorb more than the 10,000 to 12,000 now coming in, some better method should be devised tq handle them. Whether the formation of a Dominion Settlement Association would serve the purpose should be earnestly debated by all puhtio bodies interested.. There were many intensely interesting aspects to consider, including the Government land settlement policy, support to private enterprise, etc. The President said Mr Sargood was deserving of the best thanks of the chamber, not.only for acting as delegate, but for hia valuable report. He suggested thaf' the whole matter be referred to the executive with the suggestion that Mr Sargood be invited to act with members of the executive. It was resolved to adept the ’sug- : gestion made by the president. .