CHILD IMMIGRATION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 347, 30 April 1935, Page 6

CHILD IMMIGRATION

SCHEME FOR DOMINIONS SIR STANLEY ARGYLE’S VIEWS AT AUCKLAND Press Association —Copyright Auckland, April 29. A scheme of child immigration, based upon the principle embodied in the Fairbridge Farm Schools, is the system favoured by Sir Stanley Argyle, formerly Premier of Victoria, as a means of populating the British Dominions. Sir Stanley, who arrived at Auckland by the Niagara on his way to attend the Empire Parliamentary Union conference at Westminster, criticised previous immigration schemes which had been applied in Australia. While he was Premier, Sir Stanley said, he visited Western Australia for the purpose of inspecting the Fairbridge system. He had been impressed to' such an 1 extent that he had committed the Victorian Government to a similar scheme.

Under the Fairbridge system only specially selected orphaned children were sent out, and in Western Australia it had been found that they had soon adapted themselves to the new conditions. In Victoria the scheme would receive the support of the Lady Northcote Trust and that of the ’Federal and State Governments. In addition, the Imperial Government would pay one-half of the cost of maintaining each child. Sir Stanley said the Lady Northcote Trust had been established under the will of the late Lady-Northcote, wife of the former Governor-General of the Commonwealth, who had been impressed with the advantages which Australia was able to afford to orphan children from England. The estate was valued at £200,000. ' c •- - ' ' ■

As in the case of the Fairbridge School system, only children medically fit, and free from mental and criminal taints would be sent to Victoria.