EMIGRATION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2142, 27 December 1920, Page 6

EMIGRATION.

GREAT BRITAIN'S POLICY.

PROPOSED EXTENSION, flt . By Cable. — Pret* Association. — Copyright. • (A. & N.Z.) LONDON, Deo. 23. The Australian Press Association interviewed Colonel L. C. Anicry (Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies), Mr MacNaughton (vice* chairman of the Overseas Settlement Committee), Mr Percy Hunter, Mr J. Obetl Smith (Superintendent of Canadian Emigration), and other emigration authorities. .The consensus of opinion is that the British Government contemplates extending to civilians the policy now only applicable to ex-Service men, under which applicants are granted free passages for themselves and their, dependents, provided they are acceptable to the Dominions to which they propose to emigrate. It is authoritatively stated -that nothing will be done until the proposals have been submitted to the conference of Prime Ministers in May or June, and the policy is absolutely dependent ran their approval. Colonel Amery vigorously repudiated the. allegation mat the Government contemplated the emigration of either unemployed or unemployahles. Emigrants would not be sent unless approved by the official representatives of the Dominions, both r.s to numbers and qualifications, as heretofore. The Dominions had ah- . sorbed ex-Service men applying through the Overseas Settlement Committee, subject "only, to the limitations of transport. It was not proposed to depart from the existing > policy, the suitableness and acceptableness of the emigrants being) a matter of joint concurrence between Great Britain and the Dominions;' • . Mr MacNaughton pointed out that Mr Lloyd George expressly stated) ' "I should like to see an emigration i scheme considered in connection with the Dominions. This is one of the problems I hope to see discussed when we have the meeting of Empire Prime Ministers in May in this country." Mr MacNaughton added that the statement amounted to a pledge that nothing would be done without consultation with and' the approval of the Dominions. Nothing could be done before May or June, as-it would require six months to investigate overseas conditions and formulate' plans. He strongly insisted on the necessity of co-operation between Great Britain and the DominkmSj and upon the.promotion of. emigration of women and children without waiting for the Prime Minister's conference. • Mr Hunter staled that the present acute situation in England was owing to the cessation of emigration during the War and the natural increase in population, which averaged 1,000,000 annually, consequently hundreds of thousands capable of making ideal colonists and settlers were ready t(f be recruited, besides great numbers of women eligible as trainees for domestic service, who would be able to relieve the situation in the Dominions. -