UNFOUNDED SUSPICION

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 3, 25 March 1927, Page 10

UNFOUNDED SUSPICION

CHECKS ON MIGRATION DISCUSSION IN COMMONS By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright LONDON, Thursday. In the House of Common's Captain A. Eden, Conservative member for Warwick, moved that in order to benefit Great Britain by developing her best market no efforts should be spared to co-operate with the Dominions in the initiation and extension of facilities for migration and settlement. The member said he regretted that migration since the war had not been more rapid. This he attributed largely to the ignorance of the people of Britain of the conditions of life and employment in the Dominions.

In some of the Dominions suspicion existed as to the motives of those who advocated emigration from Britain. It existed in Australia, where he thought it was feared migration would lead to a large flow of labour and consequently depreciate the standard of living. That was an unfounded suspicion. Mr. L. R. Lumley, Conservative member for East Hull, seconded the motion. He said he thought there should be a Minister who -would be free to devote his whole energy to directing migration and co-ordinating the activities of the various departments concerned. Mr. Ben Riley, Labour member for Dewsbury, said he was in favour of Empire setlement accompanied by land settlement in Great Britain.

Major J. J. Astor, Conservative member for Dover, said a stimulus would be given to migration if British cities accepted a measure of responsibility for peopling and keeping in touch with some district overseas, which conceivably might bear their name. Commander E. Hilton Young, Conservative member for Norwich, said a good deal of money was now spent in maintaining the unemployed, which might more profitably be spent in helping them to settle in the Dominions. Miss Margaret Bondfleld, Labour member for Wallsend, said there was need for special provisions to assist women to settle overseas. There were 2,000,000 more women than men in Britain. Women who went out to the Dominions soon married. The Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. L. S. Amery, gave details of the various measures taken by the Overseas Settlement Office. All its experience showed that it could enormously help successful settlement by the preliminary training of emigrants in Great Britain. The Government was testing the right length of training. It did not wish to encourage people to migrate unless, they could earn a proper standard of living. The motion was agreed to without a division. —A. and N.Z.