A.—2.

I consider that as the scheme progresses, and as soon as the substantial success of a large body of settlers can be demonstrated, the percentage of failure will decrease considerably. In fact, some of the men who have left the scheme have already applied, and have been accepted, for readmission. Future Recruitment. 26. I think that more attention might perhaps be paid to the psychological side of the medical examination. The woman is the keyjto the success of the whole scheme. Her discontent or herj illness will undermine the whole family and may drive them off the group. I suggest that all the doctors who examine applicants for settlement under this scheme should have a complete detailed description of the work and life of the group settlements, and urged to be specially careful in their examination of prospective group settlers and their families. I warmly commend the present restriction of the scheme to families in which there are at least three children, though this is not always insisted upon for local applicants. I think, however, that families with more than, say, six children get fearfully overcrowded in the shacks, and the fathers of such families ought to be warned that they will be expected to be sufficiently practical to be able to erect additional galvanized-iron bedrooms for the use of their children. One man actually complained to me that he was unable to do this, although he could obtain the material. Further, it ought to be published throughout Great Britain that this scheme is worthy of the best men and women we can send, provided that the limitations of life on dairy farms are realized. Composition of Groups. 27. I came across several cases where men and women of a very superior type were on the same group as rather rough diamonds. The placing officer in Perth, with whom I discussed the question, cannot help this, as he is limited to the applicants on hand at any particular time. Probably Australia House has the same difficulty, but I certainly think it would be well worth while to encourage people of the same social type to travel together, even two at a time if larger numbers are not available, because, they can almost certainly be allocated on adjoining blocks and will be a source of strength to one another. One very intelligent foreman with whom I discussed this question was emphatic that the composition of the groups should be carefully studied beforehand if in any way practicable. He advocated regimental groups, possibly of the Catterick type, but seemed more disposed to consider that a group of, say, nine years' service Artillerymen, another group of, say, twenty-one years' service Artillerymen, would succeed better than heterogeneous groups. The point to be stressed was that the members of a group should have a real common tie of interest, which a county group did not necessarily possess. Women's Immigration Committee at Perth. 28. I was delighted with this. There is a Reception Committee which meets the families and instructs the women in making bread and yeast and gives them valuable advice. There is also an After-care Committee in Perth and in Albany which looks after cases of illness and distress, and distributes parcels of clothing. It takes particular care of maternity cases. I asked them to endeavour to teach the settlers to help themselves rather than to be too prodigal in the way of gifts. There are 100,000 British-born people in Western Australia out of a total population of 370,000. The whole atmosphere is intensely favourable to British migration. The old feeling against " spoonfeeding " the settlers is being gradually exorcized. I desire to express my appreciation of the facilities afforded me, and the kindness shown me by the Premier, the Minister of Lands, and all the officials with whom I had to do during the course of my inquiry. Every opportunity was a thorough one.

N0.|35. New Zealand, No. 159. Sir,— Downing Street, 19th July, 1926. With reference to my despatch,[.No. 96, of the 12th May, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a note addressed to the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs by His Majesty's Embassy at Paris regarding the establishment of a meteorological station in the Marquesas Group, together with a copy of an interim reply received. I have, &c., L. S. AMERY. Governor-General His Excellency General Sir C. Fergusson, Bart., LL.D., G.C.M.G., K.C.8., D.5.0., M.V.0., &c.

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