EMPIRE SETTLEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16096, 20 September 1924, Page 3

EMPIRE SETTLEMENT.

PROSPECTS IN N.Z. OFFICIAL REPORT. The report to the President of the Oversea Settlement Committee from the delegation appointed to inquire into conditions affecting British settlers in New Zealand has been issued as a Blue Book (says the London Times). Sir William Windham (chairman), Miss Gladys Pott, Mr J. Wignall, M.P., Mr F. B. Smith, and Major-General A. G. Wauchope formed the delegation which visited New Zealand last year. The report says that the flow of immigration into New Zealand is now largely regulated by what is known as the "nomination system," which applies exclusively to residents in the United Kingdom. Under certain conditions, permanent residents in the Dominion may nominate for assisted passages under the Empire Settlement Act any persons residing in the United Kingdom, provided that they do not fall within the prohibited immigrant class. The nominator enters into the following obligations:—(a) that he will find employment-for his nominee; (b) that he will make provision for the nominee's maintenance after arrival in the Dominion; (c"> that the nominee will reside in New Zealand for at least five years; (d) that if the representations which he makes are found to be incorrect, he will pay the difference between the full passage money and the assisted Assisted passages cannot be granted to unhealthy persons, and when case-? of lung, chest, or other like complaints are discovered in any member of the family by.the medical officer at London, Liverpool, or Southampton, the whole famuy w.m be forbidden to embark. Assisted passages are available only to those persons who are British by birth and parentage. Bona-flde general servants, cooks housemaids, parlourmaids, waitresses. lai"idresses, or nursemaids, between the ages of 18 and 40 years, may be nominated for free passages, provided they undertake to spend their Erst vear in approved service. In dealing with assisted passages apart from the nomination system the report says that domestic workers other than those mentioned above are chosen by ihe High Commissioner aft»r application, and are sent to New Zealand under the supervision of one or more responsible matrons. Assisted passages are also available, without nomination, for special classes of workers who may bo particularly required in the Dominion. Such passages are restricted to those actually required to meet shortages in industry. The report, in dealing with the various classes of settlers, says that an experienced farmer with a sufficient amount of capital will find good opportunities of establishjng himself. It is alwavs advisable, however, that he should gain local experience before buying or leasing land. There is a gocd demand for young active men who have agricultural experience, or who are willing to take iip general farm work as wage earners. The minimum award rates of wages at present range from ?5s to 40s a week, with board and lodging. These rates vary in different parts of the country and according to the skilled or unskilled nature of the work. There is a shortage of workers in the building trade, particularly of' bricklayers and stonemasons. A few miners are also required with experience in mining for coal, gold, and other minerals. Satisfactory results may be looked for in any State-aided and controlled scheme of juvenile migration. It would afford an excellent opportunity for a large number of young lads in the United Kingdom to obtain a training in farm work with an ultimate prospect of becoming farmers on their own account.

Public Schools Boys. The Government is already prepared to accept any number of public school bovs who may be nominated in New Zealand by farmers, institutions, and other approved nominators, on the condition that the right of selection is retained in the hands of the Hidi Commissioner in London. A special interest is taken in this question by the following organisations:— The New Zealand Farmers' Union, Taranald Chamber of Commerce, Christ's Hospital, and the New Zealand Shipowners' Acknowledgement of Debt to British Seamen Fund, which has established a scheme for Ihe purpose of training certain lads to become farmers on their own account in the Dominion. Lads are eligible between 14 and 16 years of age whose fathers, or those on whom they were dependent, served in his Majesty's Navy or in the British mercantile marine, and died as a result of wounds or injuries sustained or illness contracted whilst engaged on service at sea during the war. Free passages arc granted to children accompanied by their parents under the Assisted Passage Agreement, but the immigration of children into New Zealand is not directly provided for under any other form of State In regard to ex-Service officers and men, the aciua.l experience of recent settlers affords the best guide for those who contemplate settlement on the land in the future. Information from this point tf view was obtained by personal interview with upwards of 100 British settlers and about 00 returned soldiers. The latter had acquired holdings under the Government scheme and the former included both farm owners and labourers, almost all of whom were satisfied with their prospects. The delegates met with instances of three or four ex-officers working conjointly on one farm. In each case they were doing well, their principal occupation being fattening of lambs. By this method of co-oncralion a saving can be effected in the labour bill and more time afforded for improving the land nnd managing the farm, officers or men possessing a capital of a few hundred pounds will find good openings os share farmers, this form of farmin? being common in the dairying districts of both North and South Islands. The usual arrangement is for the owner to provide the land, stock, equipment, etc., and for the sharer to furnish the labour. The former'takes two-third:? and. the latter one-third of the monthly receipts from the butter factory, and usually 50 per cent, of the profits on the sale of calves nnd pigs. At present it is difficult for men with capital of i thousand pounds and upwards to buy land at a price that would yield a coed interest on the capital invested, though conditions may undergo a change during I he next few vears. Most soldier srtilers have been established, and met with success, upon farms used for dairying and fattening lambs. In fruit farming, however,---especially in the Nelson district —- many have encountered difficulties which seem to preclude success under existing conditions. The di-nrand for farm hands Is peneral, but, men without means should not arrive in New Zealand during the months of June. .July snd August. wiifiu Jta is..Utile..fi»4loyffiGat.JPs

newly-arrived unskilled labourers. Generally speaking, farmers have been suffering from a period of degression during the last three years, mainly because of the the fall in prices of stock, buildings, etc., since 1921. But a considerable improvement took place in 1922, when the value of butter and cheese exported increased by £5,000,000 and of wool by £2.500,000. Though there is no Government scheme for placing settlers on the land, it may be noted that about 7,000 settlers arrived in 1922, the majority of whom are prospering on the land either as farmers or farm labourers. Lands and Agriculture. The report says that the price of land is high. This was the case before the war, and subsequently it increased to such an extent that farms sold since peace was declared have often realised two or three times their pre-war value;, in some instances even more. The 1,980,045 acres of land bought by the Government since 1908, most of which was presumably purchased before the War, cost roughly £6 10s per acre. It was possible for the delegation to inspect only one of the "State Farms," as they are called—that at Ruakura, near Hamilton in the North Island. It would be difficult, says the report, to find one better laid out or equipped, more fertile, or better managed.

Mr Wignall took every opportunity of getting into touch with the Labour representatives, both industrial and political, and .ascertaining their views. They were opposed to the influx of any large numbers of people, because they considered that the cities and towns were already overcrowded. They maintained that there was no settled policy of land settlement; that no scheme had materialised under which settlers could be absorbed upon the land; and that no agreement had been entered into with the British Government to enable any land settlement scheme to be brought into existence in the immediate future.

He also attended a number of meetings in the various centres at which there appeared to he an impression that arrangements were" in contemplation with employers' federations for the purpose of supplying labour as required by them, which was likely t,6 affect the labour market and the wage question, and that, in consequence of the abnormal state of unemployment in the United Kingdom, the delegates were seeking an outlet in the Dominions for the surplus mass of unemployed. Mr Wignall was able to remove such misapprehensions; to explain the real object of the mission; and to bring about a much better understanding. The attention of the delegaton was drawn to an inclination on the part of the younger generation to settle in the towns in preference to the country. One of the chief causes was said to be that city life offers many social and other attractions which cannot be obtained in the country. It was stated that both boys and girls 'feel the disadvantage of farm life, and that their influence naturally reacts upon one another. While this may be the case---especially in the more outlying districts—-the results cannot be helpful to the development of a country which is so dependent upon its rich agricultural resources. It would be wholly wrong to assume that the land in any area is being abandoned; on the contrary, it is being readily taken up and subdivided, with the result that farm production is steadily increasing. Another .explanation* put forward was that land values arc so inflated as to make it very difficult for yo-mg men to take up farming. It is said that there are, in fact, considerable numbers of them at present anxious to settle on the land but are unable to procure even small holdings at a price within their means. For the time being the policy of the Government (decided upon rtbout two years ago) is to absorb from the United Kingdom about 10,000 men. women and children annually for five years, to be comprised chiefly cf nominated settlers, but including selected domestic servants, miners, farm labourers, and skilled artisans, selecterl settlers being subject to instructions from the Government to Ihe High Commissioner for New "ea'and in London. The quota is considerably in excess of the normal, average of past years.