EMIGRATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 17

EMIGRATION.

(By Gable.) BIG EXODUS TO DOMINIONS. LONDON, February 27". The report for 1919 of the Oversea Settlement Committee, of which Lord Milner is president and Colonel L. S.. Amery chairman, says that settlement last' year was hampered by the lack of ship-' ping, but a large movement is expected' to the dominions In 1920. It is pointed out in the report that th« dominions' chief need at Dresent is men to settle on the land and women to under-i take domestic work. Consideration has been devoted to the question whether the encouragement of such emigration is desirable in view of the prime needs of Great Britain, which bears the main bur-. den of debt for the war, and must mak» provision for Imperial defence in the near future. The committee contends that a constant flow overseas for the settlement of lands there is desirable if regulated in accordance with what the United King* dom can afford and the dominions can; conveniently absorb. The committee asserts that the migration of women and juveniles, especially girls, should be encouraged by the Gov- * eminent to a destination within the Enn pire. The committee describes the steps taken as regards the migration of women from the United Kingdom in : view of their surplus over, the male population at Homeland the report mentions the despatch of • women, delegate investigators to Australia . and ' New Zealand. Their reports are ex-.' pected in the spring. The committee says that obviously no. action should be taken .to fill industrial; vacancies overseas; save at the request of the dominion Government concerned, and with the Home Government's concurrence. The committee attributes the ansuitability of many settlers sent out hitherto to tho ill-directed policy of some voluntary societies ; also to the system by which private agents who have registered as shipping ■ agents have induced people to buy tickets ■ for overseas. They also derived benefits ■in the shape of bonuses of from £3 to £5 per emigrant, which was paid by the individual or by local and Government authorities anxious to attract settlers. The report points out that successful trade agreements with the dominions can have no lasting effect unless equal care is. • taken in the distribution and employment of the population. The committee recommends the convocation at an early date of a conference on oversea settlement between the Imperial and the dominions Governments ; secondly, that an annual expenditure not exceeding £IOO,OOO be incurred in 1920-21 with a view to securing ade quate supervision in Great Britain and adequate co-operatiph with the dominions' Governments, this'expenditure to be additional to the £1,000,000 likely to be required in 1920-21; thirdly, the immediate enactment of legislation to supervise and control passage" brokers and agents and to safeguard settlers, particularly ex-service men and womert; and to control propaganda or advertisement connected with overseas settlement within the Empire or emigration to foreign countries.