THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3199, 21 April 1911, Page 5

THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION.

DISCUSSED BY TRADES COUNCILS CONFERENCE. PROTEST AGAINST SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY. TPEE PRESS ASSOCIATION.! CHRISTCHURCH, April 20. The question of assisted immigration came before- the Trades and Labor Federation Conference this afternoon. The subject was raised in the following remit from the Wellington Council: — “Tlita the- Conference- protests strongly against the spending of public money by the Government in introducing labor from outside the country into any in-dust-rv which is not adequately protected under the industrial laws of the country.” LETTER FROM AIR. SEDGWICK.

A lengthy letter from Air. E. Sedgwick was read by the- President. The letter dealt with many of the objections which have been urged against the immigration of boys for -farm work. Air. Sedgwick contended that New Zealand’s greatest need at t-lie present was population. Lads from Home, were receptive,, adaptable, keen, willing and energetic. They would learn to settle and then marry. Every lad represented a capital- expenditure -of £250 in the country, and was, therefore, a gift of that value ito the land of his adoption. The advantages of apprenticeship were immense, and the banking of wages should ensure that each lad would'have £IOO saved before he came of age. All the Sedgwick boys were total abstainers and eacn- had a good past- record.

DELEGATE’S SPEECH—' ‘FARMERS WOULD SWEAT THEIR OWN CHILDREN.”

The adoption of the remit was moved by Air. E. J. Carey (Wellington), who said that the workers were not opposed to immigration of the right sort-, but they objected to- the Government spending the taxpayers’ money on assisted immigration. He would not say that the Sedgwick boys would make any appreciable difference to the- labor market, but farmers should not require any State assistance in getting boys out. Air. Sedgwick had talked about proper safeguards and supervision, but they knew that farmers were prepared to sweat their own children-, and to sweat them on; dairy far-m-s. If they Aver© not humane- enough not to s-Ave-at their oAvn children, what would they do to hoys avlio were assisted out here. OPINIONS: OF OTHER DELEGATES. Air. Forde (Southland) said that Southland had had the same experience of lads avlio had been assisted out liere much on the same principle as Air. Sedgwick’s -boys. Their ages ranged to 25 years, and they Avere entirely unfitted for t-lie Avork they- had to do. How could they expect to get- agricultural laborers from a- country in AA r liicli agriculture Avas dead? Boys Avere already drifting into the towns and competing with other lads for toAvn situations. He kneAV that five out of t-AA r enty boys had come into the toAA'n. Air. Sedgwick and others Avere trying to blind the Avorkers AVith high-sounding phrases about boys avlio Avere entirely unsuited for the purnose for which they had been brought’ out. Air. Laracv suggested an addition to the clause in the direction of securing an Arbitration Court award to cover agricultural labor by boys. He believed- that the proprietor of a leading registry office in Christchurch had stated that he could not- find sufficient farmers to grve employment to local boys. He Avas not against; boys coming into tlie country but they should not come here to keep our oAvn men and hoys out of work. The bulk of the farmers Avere good employers, but those who wanted SedgAvick boys Avere too mean to pay decent Avages to farm laborers. There- Avas no man aa*lio could go out and get wages on a farm- AVthich would alloAV him to maintain his Avife and, say, three children in toAvn. If farmers AA'ere Avilling to have an award mad© for these -boys and men- on the farm, let them bring in- as many boys a. they liked. ■ Air. McLaren, ALP., said that the question a\-us one of A’otes. There Avas a strong competition by both parties for the farmers’ vote, and that Avas the reason- for the expenditure of public money to -get farmers cheap labor, and also the desire to exempt farmers from the operation: of arbitration aAVards. The remit- Avas agreed to.