DOMINIONS ROYAL COMMISSION

Southland Times, Issue 17289, 8 March 1913, Page 6

DOMINIONS ROYAL COMMISSION

SITTINGS IN WELLINGTON. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON,.March T. Before the Empire Trade Commission to-day, Air Enian Smith, Under-Secretary ,of the Immigration Department. said that from 1004 to 1012 2 1.55:, assisted ■lmmigrants had arrived in New Zealand, bringing capital totalling £60.00(1. This cost the Government to assist them out £OI,OOO, or £" las per head. Had the Government paid the whole cost of their passage it would have had to pay £196,000. Out of 2 1..15.'i immigrant s over 3000 were domestic servants, and 1662 farm labourers. The (''armors' Union require men Is were r.OOn farm labourers. 2000 domestic servants, and 2"0 hoys. It had been ascertained Unit over 600n •Workers were required. To Sir Edgar Vine,cut the witness said that employers could only he asissted in bringing out farm labourers. He could not say that all who came out were farm labourers. He was personally not quite satisfied with the type of immigrants, believing that they should be selected from tlie country districts only. Sir Edgar Vincent asked witness if the young people who came out developer! Into satisfactory colonists. Witness said, that with regard to the hoys brought out by the Sedgwick scheme various reports had been received about them, and they ■were not satisfactory. To Sir Alfred P.ateman witness said there was an unlimited demand for domestic servants. In fact, the four centres could absorb in,ooo domestic servants,

Mr Wickham. British Trade Commissioner, urged the need of ascertaining the country of origin in the ease of imJiorts. There was no question Unit preference Wits given to Germany and Arne. Idea. by the shipping lines. lie mentioned a firm dealing in agricultural implements who were questioned why, when the freight from New York to Lyttelton, ■via London, was 2Ss Dd per ton, they could not get a better rate from London direct than alls per ton. Other similar complaints had been made, and witness could not get any satisfaction from the shipping firms, but it was said that there was a good deal of competition rfmt of New York. He thought Unit there was sufficient trade to Justify a ■direct shipping service between Germany and New Zealand. The North ■•German Lloyd's steamers now traded to ‘Australia and a large proportion of our Imports was transhipped here from Australia. This afternoon the Hon. K. Bnwring ■*nd Mr Garrett inspected the woollen mills at Petone, and afterwards visited Trentham to see the King's Prize .Match tired. Evidence was also given by Mr W. P. Montgomery, secretary for the Customs, regarding uniformity of invoice certificate, and the need Cor a better system of compiling trade statistics. Mr W. R. .Morris, secretary of the Post Office, recounted the Ir story of th • • reductions in cable- charges. respite the drop from 10s f.d to :;.s per word, the earnings had not fallen off. In Ri 11-12 the loss on the Pacific cable was no, tils. <of which New Zealand paid £1,700. With the steady growth of traffic the time would come when the loss won hi he wiped out. The Pacific cable could carry seven million words annually, but at present It took only two millions. Proposals had been made by which the charge could bo cut down to 2s per word. Ho believed it possible that even if the charge were reduced to sixpence the increased use of the cables would result in the service being efficiently conducted without loss. To-morrow the Commissioners will he taken to Levin, and will visit Wcraroa State Farm. Some of the members will visit Taranaki on Tuesday, in order to inspect farming and other industries.