“WISE DISCRETION”

Southland Times, Issue 19773, 22 February 1923, Page 5

“WISE DISCRETION”

OUR IMMIGRATION SCHEME DISTINGUISHED VISITOR’S VIEWS (Special to the Times.) WELLINGTON. February 21. “A wise discretion in a cautionary policy.” Such was the term applied to our immigration system by Sir Walter James, ex Premier of West Australia, who arrived to-night from Napier in continuance of his tour of New Zealand. Mr James, K.C., who has been spending a month touring the North Island, was a member for East Perth in the West Australian Parliament from 1894 to 1904. He was one of the delegates of the State to and a member of the Judiciary Committee at the Federal Convention in 1897-8 when the .Commonwealth Constitution was framed; Minister without portfolio 1901-2, • Premier [West Australia 1902-4; and Agent. General for West Australia in London 1904-6. “I [am convinced that the New Zealand Go- ■ vernment is using a wise discretion in a very cautionary policy, with regard to its [selection of immigrants,” said Sir Walter, I who was engaged in the same task in LonI don as Sir James Allen, for two years. I “Frankly I am opposed to the system at I present being followed by at least one AusI Italian State of group settlement of agri- | cultural immigrants. No State or counj try yet succeeded in settling its territory by agricultural immigrants alone. Canada tried it with influencial assistance from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company which had land at its disposal and America too, with the aid of the advertisement of the great railway companies. Both have realised, and Australia has realised, since the war that there has been an influx to a certain extent, to industrial centres, which are apt to absorb settlers, that are found not entirely suited to farming. I am one of those who believe that land will be freely taken up if it is available at reasonable prices, and in small areas by sons of farmers. The institution of group settlements of farm immigrants is going to the other extreme and banking on the certainty of possibly unsuitable men, staying on the land where they are not likely to make a competence. Australia is discovering that her manufacturing industries are providing a means of employment of the surplus population. This is so to speak, the exhaust valve for agricultural immigration. The gradual subdivision of large estates in a new country will attract bona fide settlers from the Old Country with every degree of satisfaction. Thus when the demand by farmers and farmers’ :an s for suitable lands becomes more acute, holdings will be still further subdivided, and the standard size of holdings will be reduced accordingly. One impression I gained by travelling through the North Island was the comparatively small amount of arable land that has been put under the plough. “There are probably reasons. The observer always thinks he knows how it should be done, but paying my first visit to New Zealand I though it would be more intensely cultivated.”