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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 7 October 1936, Page 15

MORE PEOPLE

NEED OF DOMINIONS IMPORTANCE TO EMPIRE INDUSTRY AND DEFENCE CONTEOLLED MIG RATION (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Tho subject of Empire migration was before the congress of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire to-day.

A resolution put forward was a compromise of resolutions which wore originally to have been submitted by- Britain, Australia and New Zealand. It affirmed the- vital importance of an early- reinforcement of the populations of the overseas Dominions by organised and substantial migration from Great Britain, and made recommendations, to that end, and recommended that the Governments concerned should co-oper-nto in arranging schemes to ensnare that any surplus population leaving Great Britain should settle within the Empire.

The resolution was moved; by Mr. J. E. Emlyn-Jones, of Cardiff. His speech was vigorous and was a strong advocacy of filling- up the vacant spaces of tho oversea Dominions with British people. He said l lie thought the truth about the Dominions’ failure to increase their population was that there had developed an ill-balanced economy. CREATION OF WEALTH

There was far too much concentration on, industrial activities and too little on agrarian industry-. There was only one way to increase the wealth of the Dominions and the whole world, the application of idle labour to fertile land. By so creating wealth, they would be able to absorb the unemployed in their own countries and the over production, which was in reality a crisis of under consumption and mal-distribution of primary products throughout the world. Mr. R. M. Clark, of Sydney, in seconding the motion, said he was in hearty agreement with tire object in view, though not in agreement with that Air. Emlyn-Jones Had said. Air. Clark said that" a migrant from Britain put someone out of work overseas.

What was wanted was migration on a large scale. A large population .overseas would enable Britain to carry a much larger population than she did, and large populations abroad and at home would make Britain invincible. He heartily seconded the resolution. Mr. IT. At. Russell, of Brisbane, said they could not accept the view that the Dominions should merely be Britain’s suppliers of primary products. What they were aiming at in Australia was a balanced economy. The debate is proceeding.