BRITISH FOR AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13716, 5 October 1908, Page 6

BRITISH FOR AUSTRALIA.

XEW SCHEME FOR SETTLING,

Notwithstanding the spasmodic outbreak of small disturbances in connection with imported European labour—caused as a rule by the rapacity and undisguised Toryism of a small section of the cmploying class—Australians stand as a young nation calling eagerly and anxiously to capable Britishers to come over the seas to help them. A thousand motives animate them. Their dangerous position as the white outpost of the Empire which must be the first to feel the barbarities of any future war with one. of the. great Asiatic races, is a lively factor. So, too, is the- desire to build up a great democratic and progressive British Commonwealth, governing a population of tens and twenties of millions.

Nationalism is at the root of the deoiie, but it is a British nationalism, which •alights to think ol itseU as a true product of the ancient. Liberalism which gave Ihe Colonies self-government. Houevet, whatever, their motive Australians want Britishers to come in their hundreds and thousands—and want them badly. Better still, they are forcing their national Government and their six little tiucrulous, jealous State Governments into line in uu ekuit to offer to the migratory Britisher such inducements as shall compel him t<o choose Australia rather than Canada, the United States or South Alrica ae his fuiure home. Ihe stumbling block, the the great, stumbling block to past campaigns, has, of course, been the land. iJistauce can be reduced by swift steamtis, passage money can be diminished by state grants, infonnation can be given by lectures, advertisements, etc, —but if all the choicest areas of good land in Australia are held by private owners and only the indiffereut Crown, lauds are offered on easy ternm to the British immigrant, failure and disappointment must be the iiuit of the civ acios* the s.a.s.

At last, however, under the stimulus of the Liberal Prime Minister* at the head ol the Federal Government, the States Governments of this country are realising these tnitliß. They see that a state of things which, in one province, has u! lowed 1000 private peitoiis to hold nearly 11,000,000 acres of laud is Hot calculated to turn tin- attention ol Biili.-beis to Australia.

'lhe air is now tilled with schemes for the "compulsory selling" ol private lands and for the compuWuy lcsuinplion ol '• squatters' runs" which can he better used as dairy farm*, plantations, or mixed fauns. Closer settlement projects are be nig cautiously and carefully pushed to llnlimits of safety. In Victoria, for instance, a Small Holdings Act, passed recently, has already placed 500 {icuplo on the land under a system which gives to the settler, at the expeiwe of the taxpayer—

iaj £2OO worth of laud; lb) A wage of £1 per week' (m the first six months of his wuik; ici A wage of 15s a we»>k lor ihe second six months; id) A wage of 10s a. week for tlie thud . mx months ; and (ci Advances for the purchase of stork and effecting improvements on h> lioldiug, up to £l5O.

If at the end of till this generous bounty the settler is not making a living out of his holding and begun to repay some- of the money advanced to him, ample further time is given—provided of course, some progresa has been made.

Tln-n. too, under the Closer Settlement Act of Victoria, another new mea.-ure. some 199.510 acres of good land have been purchased, at a cost of £1.427.505, and 1000 settler* have been given home* on tin 1 estates thus acquired. I'nder the workmen's homo clauses of this Act. 38> fit rn il i-.-■= have been established in workmen's home sites. In addition to the pro vision lor deferred land payments, advances ranging from £SO to £250 for home-building have been made. If all eIM.- tails to bring the v. i y !>•-t nf Australia's land within the wn|.- ..! tlie wilier immigration hiheiiics now malm ing. the National I'atli.mieiit will fare l!n. drastic w.,([h>h of a genuine graduated land lax. b:r-cd to ■oin- ext'iil oil Ihe N'e« Zealand i~v-t.ni 'Hi* weapon, h. .iceoin palii'-d by a " coiupulsoiy •'■lling " !-gila'ioii bv the .Sl.il-n Governm-lit.-, would probably solve ],., if the troiibt... of '.!■• land!--* imiiiigi.mt, besides i* tug the r-.d vation of ilk- laiidh.-r. Aiis'.mlmii. I pu! mtv v-liing M.iuUi mix a maximum ie.oi mg in land whii-h no one land »u i). i. <)>. r. itlv or indirecth, miild -xi-cd. 'I In*

pr».t.....il ha.- -... Auntiah.-.n :•• Iht- rapidly dmiitii'liing r.«.rv:inv r P'l'J in \ti«! ralia. •>• in Knghuid, calk, i: »po!i..

(!..fi. 1>«! i:i (In- I.uxl •■)<<■ limi:..::-..:i ..! !:.- (•■rrilori.il .in-* Wi.il -mv |« ir-'iii iii.m !i.i!.i r* .i.» i n;;!i iiiliru-n: iii (ii-- "•Lit uhi'.ii "i:gi». !'» I"- !:«. civ uf--il v. inn- . • :

the. public interest demands its exercise. One small but interesting plan for increasing the supply of British immigrants, .which is receiving much notice at, the moment of writing* is the selteiue, developed by Mr E. T. Seammcli, for bringing Airily and 2Cavy pensioners to Australia. Mr was Until recently Emigration Commissioner for Western Australia, .1 post he resigned iu order to tree himself for federal work. His scheiiv; provides for the commutation of the pensions of the military aod naval immigrants on u plan which lias commended itself to the judgment of both the War Oftice and the Australian Government. Mr Scammcll tells me that Mr John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, ii prepared to join with the War Office in assisting tliFederal Government in the execution of proposals based upon the scheme reierred to. Mr Burns has a keen interest in the new Australian immigration movement, and is anxious to do all in his power to assist the achievement of the hopes of thu*? who seek t<> people this empty continent. L. V. BIGGS.