SHE DOMINIONS COMMISSION

Southland Times, Issue 17965, 5 March 1917, Page 3

SHE DOMINIONS COMMISSION

REPORT ON CANADA. Jfßy Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) {Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON. March 2. The Dominions’ Commission report on Canada states thee’ is a strong undercurrent of opposition in Canada against emigration as it is now carried on, particularly among wage earners in cities. The Commission agree that the objection to creating surplus labour in cities Is well founded. Too much attention hitherto has been devoted to attracting immigrants, and too little attention to equipping them. The report emphasised the growing shortage of agricultural land available for settlement in Manitoba, Saskatchewen, and Alberta. If the demand for land after the war is equal to that heforv the war, it will exhaust the available Government land within four years. The New Zealand Government's subsidising of steamship services considerably assited Canadlanhfew Zealand trade. It was regrettable that British shipping companies in Canada sometimes charge lower freight on loreign goods than British goods in the earae ship for longer distances. The imperial Government should impose a control of rates upon cable companies before renewing their landing licenses. The existing press rates between Canada and the United Kingdom were over-high compared with the Anglo-Australian press. Rates to Canadian newspapers, the Government, and the cable companies should reorganise their press service. The Commission were greatly interested in Mr W. G. Conley's suggestion, made at Winnipeg, that Australian and Canadian newspapers should unite to secure a new service in place of that which the Australian Press Association now supply Australian and New Zealand newspapers. The Commission will deal with the question of a State-controlled Atlantic cable in their next reporL