OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3911, 26 February 1929, Page 48

OVERSEAS SETTLEMENT.

COMMITTEE’S HOPE OF NEW ZEALAND.

LARGER FLOW TO CANADA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 5.

The Overseas Settlement Committee, in a published report, expresses the hope that development schemes under consideration in Australia yvill permit of larger requisitions for emigrants there than during the past year, and that the neyy’ Government in New Zealand yvill find it possible to restore its demands for settlers to the high level of three years ago.

At the moment Canada, yvhich is enjoying great prosperity as the result of three good harvests, offers the most tempting prospects to the settler, and if the response from Great Britain to the inducements of cheaper ocean fares and neyv schemes for settlement comes up to expectations there yvill be a much larger emigration to Canada than z for some y'ears past. It is estimated that 20,000 British emigrants paid their oyvn fares to Canada during the year just closing, and the cut in fares, from £l3 15s to £lO, should enable a much larger number to cross the Atlantic in 1929. In regard to Australia (the report continues), there appears to be no immediate prospect of an increase in the number of official requisitions for emigrants, oyving to the economic depression that has prevailed there of late. Good results, hoyvever, are expected to folloyv the visit to Australia of the delegation, under the leadership of Sir Arthur Duckham, yvhich has been considering various aspects of economic developments in that country. The Commonwealth Migration and Development Commission yvill presumably ayvait the report of this delegation before preparing any schemes for absorbing larger numbers of emigrants. POLICY OF THE WARD GOVERNMENT. Economic causes were also responsible for the fall in assisted emigration to Neyv Zealand from the figure of 11,795 in 1926 to 4446 in 1927. The Dominion has since made a considerable financial recovery, and it is believed that any future increase in emigration will depend largely on the policy adopted by the new Government after it has considered whether- the country is yet able to absorb greater numbers of settlers. Hoyvever many people are found to be suitable and willing to emigrate to the dominions, in Great Britain there will still remain, in the opinion of emigration committees, the problem of the great numbers who cannot, for a variety of reasons, proceed overseas or find employment at home. Men and youths whose

physique, and morale have suffered by long periods of unemployment are generally not acceptable as emigrants to the dominions, and the question is how to restore their physical fitness and industrious habits.