163

A.— 6

market, there might be a tendency to create from time to time a section of those who might not be able to get regular employment. We are in the position in our Colony of fortunately not having unemployed. We have not known the meaning of " unemployed " in the ordinary sense for many years, and we want to avoid anything of that kind. We prefer to have a community well spread over our country, fully employed, but to be rather on the side of requiring a few more to come —those required for the use of our farmers and business men and for settling the country —than to have an excess with its tendency to create the troubles that many many years ago we had. What 1 want to remark is that New Zealand is quite prepared to have placed before it the suggestions of what is best in the general interest for making provision to meet the desire suggested by Mr. Deakin, of British subjects going to our British Colonies. We are quite prepared to consider as favourably as we can, any proposal for a suitable scheme to bring about what 1 think we all desire, but it would be quite a wrong impression for me to convey, as the representative of New Zealand, that we can subscribe to any great scheme for the wholesale immigration of people, which the country itself might not be prepared to absorb within reasonable time upon their arrival. I therefore wish to say that any proposal that is made for a large scheme of immigration, would require to be very carefully considered by the New Zealand Government and Parliament before I could subscribe to it. Upon one point referred to by Mr. Deakin, I would remark that while those who are anxious to send people away from the Old Land, may desire the co-operation of the Colonial Governments, and while we might be anxious to have British people placed in British Colonies, there is the very important factor that exists, that great shipping organisations travelling from "here to America, for instance, can by reduction of fares, and in many ways defeat an object of that kind. For my own part, while I should be only too glad to co-operate in, and to see, an ideal scheme, as suggested by Mr. Deakin, of British subjects living under the British flag, I am afraid we should have some difficulty in putting it into practical operation so long as these other great countries outside Canada (which has been doing an immense amount of good in that respect) are prepared, owing to their closeness to the Old World, to give advantages which we cannot give in the matter of passage money. I do not know whether Mr. Burns has any fixed notions of a general scheme which we could co-operate in, but 1 have thought it desirable to put on record the views that I hold on behalf of New Zealand. We want to help people to come to our country on legitimate lines. We do not want to have them coming out in excessive numbers, though the country has absorbed all who have come up to now without any difficulty, and, while we want to assist generally, we want to prevent a rush of people under mistaken impressions of there being limitless employment available in our country. Dr. JAMESON : Lord Elgin, and gentlemen, after what Mr. Deakin and Sir Joseph Ward have said, I do not think there is much to be said on the general subject. Of course, I believe the whole Conference is absolutely at one upon the first portion of the resolution. With regard to Cape Colony— and I think my colleagues will say South Africa —we, unfortunately, are rather in the reverse position at present owing to our late troubles. Mr. DEAKIN : Only momentarily. Dr. JAMESON : Mr. Deakin has been speaking of emigration from this country and immigration' into our countries. The fact of the matter is we have been engaged in promoting emigration from our country and

Sixth Day. 25 April 1907.

Emigration. (Sir Joseph Ward.)