IMMIGRATION

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13940, 28 June 1909, Page 7

IMMIGRATION

APPEAL FOR HELP. (By Rev. R. L. Gwynne, of Tunbridge "Wells, Kent.) The chief difficulty to-day in social England is the steady annual increase of the unemployed. A well-informed man wrote two months ago from London, " that of the two perils, unemployment, in the opinion of all observers, is greater than that of invasion." With an army of seven hundred thousand workless men marching and counter - marching through the great towns, with 40 per <eut. of the mechanics and building tradesmen in the small towns out of «~>rk for eight months of the year, tin aspect lias darkened and become intolerable. 'llie Poor Law Commission was a serious-attempt to get at the root of this social disease. In that great volume of expert research, there are two really clear issues:— (1) That our primary education is largely to blame for our present condition-. (2) That careful colonisation is one of, the best. and surest remedies. With these two propositions, all thinkers in England are in full agreement. , Tariff reform, Labour organisations, and co-operative companies may all do something to better the state of Great Britain, but the root evil is the poor preparation given to the British boy for liis work in life. He has a purely literary schooling up to 14, is turned out to er-rand-running, never has the chance of learning a trade, and so finds himself too often at the age of 18 or 19 in the ranks of unskilled labour. To prepare a fair number of respectable British lads— - sons of the Yeomen, labourer and mechanic for •work oii the land in the British overseas is the object of our mission here. For one year after 14, we propose to bring the lads to a farm school, either in England under colonial management, or in the Dominion, in specially suited farms, and then send them prepared to their heritage in the Empire. The great industrial classes of Great Britain look to the oversea dominions to supply their food. Britishers mifst come forth from the little islands in Europe to Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to supply in' ever-increasing volume bread, meat and fruit for the toiling masses at Home. in Kent by a voluntary association ~>i leisured people (including some retired colonists). The work of this association has hitherto been the sending forth of reputable unemployed to Canada and Australia by a system of loans. No charity is asked or granted, but the fare is lent for two years, and the independence of t-'ie colonist is thus assured. All offices are honorary, and all the business of examination of candidates and iinding them posts is purely voluntary. Some -500 have already been sent, with a floating capital (subscribed by the committee and their friends) of about £560. It is now proposed to enlarge this work in Kent and extend it, possibly to every county, by establishing regular schools 'if land labour for lads who intend going to the colonies. New Zealand hardly wants men over 30. who cannot adapt themselves to bush and farm life, but there may well be ample room here for British lads trained to the land craft and willing to go forth as a second army of pioneers to bring into cultivation the. great and rirh lands now unused or only partially tilled. With this object, in view aL Home, Mr Gwynne is commissioned to inquire in New Zealand : 1. —What openings exist for .Britis.: lads without capital, but partially trained, and at an age of adaptability. 2.—Whether the Government have .s farm here upon which such immigrants could continue or complete their training. 3. —How far the Dominion would re-

cognise this work in England as deserving of its encouragement. It is well to point out that upon a large increase of the agricultural ~»..•' ptilation depends largely the progressive well-being of the industrial classes Everv good labourer going forth equipped to the land means a real increase of wealth to the' Dominion as well as a new potential taxpayer. The plan herein commended to the public • is simple, has no money consideration, brings some of England's best youths to help to build up the structure of nationalitv, and enriches the daughter State, while at the same time relieving the Motherland. These suggestions towards a system of colonisation have received much encouragement in South Africa and Australia —in fact, the time is come when the unsatisfactorv state of the whole subject calls loudly for. better method,. The foregoing are submitted as forming a. foundation, upon which may be based the enduring structure of a great and united Empire, whose vast popul ition can be found exactly where they are most required.