UNEMPLOYMENT IN TIMARU.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT IN TIMARU.

EXAGGERATED STATEMENTS. THE ACID TEST. (From Odb Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 14. The weekly journal Truth refers to recent articles in the Timaru Herald concerning unemployment. Reference is also made to the deputation of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee which waited on the At-torney-general to urge that English immigrants desiring to return home should bo allowed to do so before the expiration of the term of five years’ residence in New Zealand. “ It appears to me,” says the writer of the paragraph, “ that these statements ought to be noticed, but I hope it will not be supposed that I wish to cry down all ©migration to New Zealand. Most of us know personally of men who have done well there, and for settlers of the right type the country offers good opportunities, though there may now be temporary unemployment. The suggestion of a New Zealand correspondent is that too many of the men sent out are not of the right type, and that much greater discrimination should be exercised in the selection of emigrants. It is obvious that this is the case.” HIGH COMMISSIONER’S STATEMENT. The High Commissioner has sent the following letter to the editor of Truth: — “ I thank you for your sympathetic reference in your last issue with regard to the unemployment of immigrants at Timaru. It was reported in New calami and cabled to London that there were ‘ hundreds of immigrants at Timaru seeking work, and in almost desperate straits.’ Futher, it was suggested that the Government should pay their fares back to England. ‘‘How exaggerated the complaints are may bo judged from the following cablegram which I have just received from Mr Coates, New Zealand’s Prime Minister: Re immigration.—With reference to your telegram asking particulars regarding Timaru unemployment, an advertisement was inserted by the Mayor of Tin>aru in the local papers extending over a period of six weeks and it fcsultcd in four names of assisted immigrants being forthcoming as desirous of returning to Great Britain, and these have resided in the Dominion for from four to five years.—(Signed) Coates. “ You will thus observe that the socalled hundreds of disappointed immigrants seeking to leave what they call an ‘ accursed ’ country had dwindled down to four names when the ‘ acid test ’ was applied. The same four people had been in I lie country for about four years, covering one of its most prosperous periods, when work was plentiful everywhere. “ The plain truth is, that while there has been a temporary depression in prices, from which New Zealand is now happily fast recovering, there Iras been some unemployment in the large cities, but nothing df a character to justify the gross exaggerations that are sent to the English p"oi by a few people in New Zealand who, I am satisfied, are often of the ‘ ne’er do wee! ’ class. -• For ono immigrant who complains, I would guarantee there arc 20 who succeed and do well. So much depends on the individual.”