THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 30

THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION

SYDNEY, July 23. The Immigration League resents the action of Dr Arthur, its president, in writing letters, some of which, it alleges, are too roseate-hued in regard to the prospects of immigrants. Matters reached a crisis over a letter 6ent to the secretary of the Victorian League, in which T>r Arthur suggested the placing of pamphlets conrining information about the States board the mail steamers. He therein ays: Don't mix up immigration and land settlement in your pamphlet. In an immigration book everything must be couleusr <le rose — no hint of difficulty about getting land. You needn't be afraid you will be Tushed. Even when Queensland offered cheap fai-ms in London there was only one applicant. As regards land settlement for home {Victorian) consumption, you can be as pessimistic and indignant as you like. The blacker the better ; though don't get too much on the line. What is the use of inviting immigrants here when •we hay« nothing to offer them? That "would choke off subscriptions. Anyhow, don't do anything to frighten off immigrants, because competition for them is so severe in Europe ; and even if conditions changed for the better in Victoria you might find that it was of no avail, as you had given the place a bad reputation. The league asks Dr Arthur to refrain from seeking re-election as president. , Dr Arthur declares- that the letter was a private one, and that he was giving bis counsel in colloquial terms that nothing -should be done to retard the movement. He did not mean to suggest that people should be deceived. MELBOURNE, July 23. The Federal Government is interested jp. the trouble, because some of the money toted bj Parliament laafc year had gone

to different portions of the Immigration League. The Ministers recognise that good work had been done by Dr Arthur, and are inclined to think that he allowed his zeal to run away with his discretion. Nobody, they say, wants immigrants to come here in ignorance of our conditions. The Acting Premier for the State, commenting on Dr Arthur's methods of attracting immigrants, said that he would utterly disapprove of any method which would not bear the closest scrutiny. The position should be stated exactly as it existed, and then no newcomer could say h« had been deceived either by painting things too attractively or by a suppression of the fact 6.