POST-WAR POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24596, 2 May 1941, Page 4

POST-WAR POLICY

DOMINION'S POTENTIALITIES NEED FOR LARGER POPULATION IMMIGRATION SUGGESTED (Special) CHRISTCHURCH. May 1. A conviction that if the people as a whole knew of the amenities, climate and possibilities of New Zealand a large number would be prepared to migrate to the Dominion after the war was expressed to-night by Mr W. Holmes, a former president of the Trades Union Congress in an interview. From the time he had landed in New Zealand, he said, the countryside reminded him of Scotland and parts of England. Mr Holmes said he had no desire to intrude, but he felt that New Zealand offered a. very great opportunity for development after tie war. Without being dogmatic and claiming to know all the details, he could say that it would be well for the Dominion's own future that it should hare a greater Donulation. Migrants from England Replying to a question whether he thought there would be any greater desire on the part 'of the British workers and rural population to migrate from England after the war, Mr Holmes said it was quite likely that numbers of people would desire to find homes here. "The possibility,is," he continued, " that New Zealand itself will want to increase immigration. If you have to go in for a big State scheme of roads and railways and develcpment a larger population reduces the cost per head of population." Questioned on his views of the suitability of New Zealand farming lands to carry a greater population, Mr Holmes said he would have to confess that he was not an expert, but it seemed to him that New Zealand offered facilities for the settlement on the land of a far greater number of persons than were now engaged in rural pursuits. Questions of Defence Discussing the point that England might have to maintain its population for defence after the war, he said the difficulties were great. If Britain won the war—and he had no doubts that it would—and a new world pclicy of safety against aggression anc a combination of English-speaking countries were arranged, there should be a great chance for development in New Zealand. With its climate and soil the Dominion offered great possibilities for the grcwth of population. A larger population would in itself be a measure of safety for New Zealand.