A.—6a

58

Training. We have decided that training should not be undertaken in this country except in so far as some sort of preliminary scheme of testing is concerned, the expense of which has to be borne by this country and will not be shared by the Dominions. Canada, has offered, if we were to establish testing farms or testing centres here, to send us instructors if need be. Public-school Boys. We have not forgotten public-school boys. New Zealand is on the point of concluding an arrangement whereby she. can take twenty a month under an apprenticeship system with the ultimate idea that they should set up for themselves anel have farms of their own. Australia anel Canada are also considering arrangements on somewhat similar lines, and we are, I hope, on the point of concluding a very valuable little settlement scheme with South Africa which should be very helpful to the young fellows of this class. A Better Understanding. But, when all is said and done, I think that perhaps the best work wo have done has been to create a very good atmosphere. We uneleTstanel one another's difficulties now far better than we did before, and, in conclusion, I can only say this : It is not, enough to say to the Dominions, " You have too few people anel we have too many. We will send you numbers of our excess population, and then you will go ahead and prosper." That statement is probably strictly true, but until the Dominions have themselves saiel so we cannot force people down their throats. I feel that they will be able to absorb larger and larger numbers which we on our part are able to spare, and I cannot do better than read the concluding lines of the report, which run as follows : — " The Committee in reporting these: matters to the Conference venture to express the hope that the several Governments concerned., both in Great Britain and the Dominions, will look upon the results attained as an instalment only of what might be achieved, and will be unremitting in their efforts to further the policy of redistribution of population, alike by the removal of any obstacle to which their attention may be called, and by framing fresh schemes of land-settlement as and when circumstances may permit." Value of Committee's Discussions. Mr. Graham : I should like to congratulate the Oversea Settlement Committee on the results achieved in their report, the more so considering the very difficult question with which they have had to deal and its multiplicity of complications. Meeting, as they did, from different parts of the Empire, they learned the difficulties anel problems confronting each other, to which the Chairman has alluded, and I think the result of the, meetings of this Committee will be very good indeed. I attended a meeting or two, when I heard matters discussed, and I was agreeably surprised at the spirit in which all the members of the Committee approached every question that came up, and appreciated the difficulties of those from different parts of the Empire. As with all these gatherings, such a free and open discussion —almost submerged, I might say, in frankness—cannot but have a very healthy influence on future negotiations, because those who have charge of migration in Great Britain will now know exactly the conditions with which they are elealing when they approach any Dominion in reference to this question, and those who are responsible for the working-out of the problem in the different Dominions will also recognize the attitude of Great Britain in dealing with this question. Of course, we in Canada concur in the report of the Committee, and I might venture to hope that the conclusions arrived at are but a step towards further negotiations and co-operation at a -later date, which will bring about the results and development which we all anticipate and hope for. Closer Contact the Committee's Greatest Result. Mr. Bruce : Tho conclusions to which the Committee have come are set out in the report, but I think a most useful thing has been done, and that is that in the report they have presented the position and dealt with tho different phases of migration in a way that makes the position clear anel easily understooel. The report deals with all these questions so fully that Ido not propose to go over them. To deal with all the different aspects of migration at the present moment would be a lengthy process, and Ido not think it is necessary. I entirely agree that results have been achieved by this Committee, but it will take a little time to see the effect of them. The greatest result of all is that the representatives of all the Dominions have got into close contact with the representatives of Great Britain ; they have discussed the whole problem, and I am confident that some further move will bo possible as a result of this very full and frank discussion. Nomination System the Eventual Solution of the Problem. I am glad to see that the Committee has stressed the nomination system because I personally believe that that is going to bo the eventual solution of the whole problem. There will be; a largo number of schemes put forward, Government schemes and private schemes, but no schemes of any character that can be submitted in the future are going to take the full flow of migrants that we want to see if we are going to bring about a true redistribution of our population. The way the flow is going to take place is by moans of the migrants who can nominate others to come after them, which gradually expands it, and the flow will roach a point when something will be achieved towards an actual redistribution of the whole of tho people of the Empire. As far as Australia is concerned we concur in this report, and we will certainly do everything we can to try and give effect to the ideas adumbrated at this Conference. Ido not know whether my colleague: would like to say anything ; he was on the, Committee,