POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 10, 28 August 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL.

THE FIGHTING JELLICOE. OUT AGAINST SHI JOHN FINDLAI. (Ter Tress Association ) Wellington, August 28. Mr. E. G. Jollicoe lias announced his intention ot opposing Bir John for whatever seat no elects to m contest. ’ -TO ENCOURAGE IMMIGRATION. In the Legislative Council on Friday Sir Maurice O’Rorko moved:— “That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that the Government should appoint two emigration officers —one in Ireland and one in Scotland —to facilitate emigration from those countries to New Zealand, such offi.cers to be under the control of the High Commissioner, and not to exceed in any one year the number of emigrants ho might have authorised; that each emigrant of twenty-one years of ago should receive forty acres of freehold land in New Zealand, and half that amount of laud for children over ■**ten years of ago. 1 ' Referring to statements made during the debate on his pensioner settlements proposal on previous days, Sir Maurice said if it really was the case that all tlio land in New Zealand was already occupied, then, instead of encouraging immigration to Now Zealand, the High Commissioner in London should be instructed to warn people against coming here. If it was true that the seventy million acres in New Zealand had all been swallowed up, by under one million of people, the original settler must have iiad considerable voracity. The Hon. C. M. Luke (Wellington) seconded the motion, but ho could not support it, even though ho was in complete sympathy with its general principle. New Zealand had reached a sorry plight if it was to be said that V"their little country was to bo ringK, fenced for one million people, when it " could easily carry four or live millions, and would never experience true prosperity until it did so. A Member: It could carry fourteen millions. The Hon. W. M. McArdle (Auckland) agreed on the absolute necessity of bringing closer settlement about, but considered it was going too far to offer forty acres of freehold to every immigrant w’ho might come out. The Hon. J. B. Callan (Otago) said that the proposal was quite impracticable. Similar views were expressed by the Hon. W. Boehan (Auckland), who said that the time had gone for giving away land in. New Zealand. ‘*l could not leave it out,” said Sir Maurice O’Rorko; “it’s the gist of the whole proposition.” The acting-leader of the Council opf posed the motion, and stated that there w'as already an experienced emigration officer attaphed to the High Commissioner’s office, who w r as doing good work. The motion was lost on the voices.

'leadership of the council

As a preliminary to relinquishing the acting-leadership of the Legislative Council, the Mon. J. McGowan has given notice to move that his own name be struck off the membership list of various committees with a view to the substitution of the name of Sir John Findlay, the Attorney-General. ASSISTED IMMIGRATION. In the last eighteen months 3292 assisted immigrants have arrived in New Zealand. There were 2187 in 1910 alone, and 1105 in the first six months of the present year, the figures being as follow : January 308 February 394 March 136 April 41 May ... ... ... 263 June ... 63 STATE CURRENCY. The Hon. T. Kelly has given notice to move in the Legislative Council that a copy of the report and evidence taken by the State Banking and State Currency Committee of last session be supplied to members of both Houses.