IMMIGRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 20, 24 June 1913, Page 7

IMMIGRATION.

COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS. MORE STEAMER ACCOMMODATION. THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. Per Press Association. Wellington, June 21. Hon. H. D. Bell has made the following statement regarding the Government policy in respect to immigration:—"The Government, immediately after it took office, determined to make provision for an increased flow of. immigrants into New Zealand of the classes of domestic servants and farm laborers. The High Commissioner had conferences on the subject with the Minister before his departure for England, and undertook to make enquiries and report on the result. The first report, with detailed suggestions, was received by the Government at the end of March, 1913. In the interval Mr. Allen, during his visit to England, communicated to the Hon. T. Mackenzie proposals and suggestions from the Government officials. The extension of immigrants depends so largely upon the methods adopted by the London agency that it should bo plain, upon reference to the date above, that it is' only now, and not, at any time previous, that results could be expected from the Government intervention. i

"I think it will be necessary to supplement the English staff of the High Commissioner's office by an additional one or more persons from New Zealand who know the necessities and the class of people required and the parts of the United Kingdom where such classes can best be found anil who can speak from experience as to the rates of wages and the nature of the employment prevailing in various parts of "the Dominion. To avoid any possible correspondence on this point, I desire to make it clear that any such appointment will have to be made by the Public Service Commissioner; not by me.

• '•Detailed changes have already been initiated at the New Zealand end by the present (lovcnimc.nt, including the establishment of a v separate department, the appointment, of a matron to meet female, immigrants, and negotiations with the flirts' Friendly Society and the Young Women's Christian Association, regarding homes a.iid information for girls who do not immediately depart for places already found for them." The 'Minister t'.irned then to the immediate results anticipated from tha improved methods and provision therefor. He said that there had previously h' '! .1. serious shortage of steamer ac<v modntion at certain periods of the ye:i.r. The High Commissioner has reported that in this respect he has been able to make entirely satisfactory arrangements with the shipping companies for space which lie anticipates will be |required during this and next year. Further, it is ascertainable that though payment for assisted passages required from a domestic servant is for a fourberth cabin only £i 16s Gd, and eightberth cabin only Go 10s, the requirement of even that contribution, coupled with the further requirement that the domestic should have a certain sum of money of her own in her possession on landing, deterred a very desirable class from coming here, and who found better terms offered >by Canada. The Government now' directed that in such cases the whole passage money may be paid for the domestic servant, and the money required for landing advanced her on undertaking to refund it by instalments.

Similar, but not identical, concessions have been authorised in the ease, of farm laborers, who are without sufficient means to pay their own share of the passage money, but are otherwise of a suitable class. One previous requirement in respect of domestic servants was the production of certificates of the lust year's domestic service in England. Tt is believed that that requirement has excluded a number of women who have been educated for years in practical duties in their own homes. The Government has authorised the London agency to dispense with . that requirement in cases where it can be otherwise satisfied that the woman bad complete domestic experience. The flovernment' found that the nomination of immigrants by residents of New Zealand was, except in the ease of the wife'or husband, of a resident limited to persons who were either in domestie service or were farm laborers.

The restriction led to a good deal of misrepresentation of occupations of the relatives by Xew Zealand residents. In the case of all relatives by blood or marriage of residents in Xo"w Zealand, the Government lias directed that nominations shall be accepted without regard to occupation, hut with a limit as to age and subject to the nominee satisfying the examining department of tlie High Commissioner's Office as to the health and physical fitness and as to there being nothing known against the nominee's character.

Efforts have ben made to obtain from farmers by circulars particulars of the number of laborers each farmer desires to employ. Correspondence has token (dace between the High Commissioner and t!:e Government with reference to the importation of hoys who had experience in rural districts for employment on fonrti. The Government has endeavored hv official en'|uirv to obtain accurate and nricti'jal iiifor:iK:tioii as to

I the shortage of labor in factories of I certain descriptions throughout the Dominion. While it is not proposed to grant assisted passages to factory hands, it is proposed to offer factory proprietors, who find work hampered by the impossibility of procuring skilled employees, the assistance of the Government, to the extent that if the factory satisfies the Government that it cannot obtain in the Dominion the skilled employees which it requires, and is willing to" pay the fare and a living wage to immigrants of that description, the Government will instruct the High Commissioner to cause the demand for that particular class and the rate of wages to be made known by advertisement or otherwise in England. In'no case would the wage be less than that fixed by the Arbitration Court awards. The High Commissioner will receive applications, and his officers will satisfy themselves as to the qualifications and the physical fitness and character of the applicants. He will also arrange for passages, in steamers carrying emigrants to New Zealand at lowest possible rates, and, in the case of girls, will provide matrons and take other precautions for their protection and comfort during the voyage, but .with regard to this class of immigrant the factory proprietors must pay the whole of the passage money, and, though they may make arrangements for a refund by the immigrants, must themselves take the risk of the possible refusal by the employees on arrival to enter into employment or to make refunds. The Government does not propose, and will not be concerned in, the introduction of labor of this class to compete with labor of the same kind where such labor is available in New Zealand.