EMPIRE SETTLEMENT

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 47

EMPIRE SETTLEMENT

PROSPECTS FUR FARMERS. LONDON, May 18. Tlio Government is sending Mr F. B. Smith, formerly Director of Agriculture in South Africa, and a recognised expert on agriculture, to join the Overseas Settlement Delegation and report on the prospects of land settlement in Australia and New Zealand. He will leave on June 6. Mr A. Buckley (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade), replying to a question in the House of Commons, said that the average yearly rate of emigra tion, measured by the excess of outward passengers to others countries within the Empire, was 166,200 in 1910-14. The cor responding figure for 1522 was 71,700. NEW ZEALAND “BADLY LEFT.” LONDON, May 8. The Sydney San’s special representative has been informed that Sir George Fuller’s migration scheme is based on the New South Wales agreement announced last November. It provides for the same amount for Federal loans £6,000,000), and includes the same settlement areas, and public works. It differs, however, in that Britain will now contribute one-third of the interest on the loans for five years, leaving the commonwealth and New South Wales to provide one-third each. New South Wales previously paid two-thirds. The Victorian Premier, Mr H. W. Lawson, during an interesting tour of Scotland, noted that Canadian migration agents were embarking practically whole villages. New Zealanders in England fear that the dominion is likely to be badly left regarding migration assistance, because the greater part of the £3,000,000 available under the Empire Settlement Act has already been allotted to New South Wales, Victoria, West Australia, and Canada, and the fund will shortly be exhausted. New Zealand seems to be officially idle,, and the same applies to South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland. THE DRIFT TO AMERICA. OTTAWA, May 17. Tho emigration situation in Quebec became so serious that the Government established an office in Montreal directed by Roman Catholic priests for the pur pose of discouraging French-Canadians. who comprise three-fourths of the population of the province, from emigrating to the United States. The office will be informed by the parish priests of any communicants who a.re intending to leave tho country and special pressure will be brought to bear on them for the purpose of inducing them to stay.