AUSTRALIA'S PROBLEM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7937, 10 January 1906, Page 3

AUSTRALIA'S PROBLEM.

+ In the memorandum prepared for the Federal Parliament by the Agents-Gtsneral on the subject ol immigration, the interesting calculation 19 mado that with the birthrate as it is now, unless there is a material improvement in immigra tion. the population of Australia will not double itself fnr 56 years. Foremost in the causes which have operated against people coming to Australia are our old friends, the six batters. "Wo have endeavoured to defend the position of the Commonwealth on the grounds that the provisions objected to are for emer gent use, and that common sense is the prevailing characteristic of the Australian peorde, but our explanations pass unheeded amidst the recurrent clamour which arises whenever the six hatters are mentioned." Dealing with the class of persons likely to come to Australia, the Agents-General strongly advise the securing of British farmers as immigrants. They point out that there is great' unkest amongst this class, rents rjeiug high, taxes heavy, and cultivation expensive, and that such men would probably have on an average from £SOO to £IOOO with which to commence life in a row country. This class of immigrant will be, says the Agents-General, in every way a gain to Australia, and the strongest efforts ought to be made to secure as many as possible. A second-class of persons who make inquiries about Australia comprise business men who look to colonial farming to provide an outlet for their sons. "The young men would be mo.st desirable settlers, and it would be well in working out details of an immigration policy if room could be found for them." Then there are hard-working,industrious shopkeepers and small manufacturers, who are feeling Jthe pinch of high rates and keen uompetition, and are enterprising enough to look for better things. The AgentsGeneral recommend the abolition of the State immigration offices, and the placing of the whole question under Common wealth control. In the meantime Mr Goghlan and his assistants are working their hardest to correct erroneous impressions of Australia. Mr Coghlan'slatest idea is a series of bright and interesting lectures illustrated by views of New South Wales life. Those have been extremely successful. "What about your labour trouble?" said a gentleman, at one of these lectures. "Well" comes the answer, "I'm very thankful to say wages are better in New South Wales than in your country; but then recollect that an Australian will do certainly twice as much work as a British agricultural labourer in the same time. Here let me show you." On came a slide of the Australan workman on his rotary dieo plough. "In England" continued the lecturer "a ploughman with four horses and a boy to 1 sad them will only do iu a day what this man on the screen would finish off before breakfast."