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4th Day.] Labour Exchanges and Emigration. [2 June, 1911. Sir JOSEPH WARD— cont. time when they can get into the back blocks or wherever they go under climatic conditions that will not in any way prevent them from making a very agreeable start. We go upon the principle of assisting two classes only—one the agricultural labourers, and the other domestic servants. Now, we can absorb a large number of agricultural labourers, but we go upon the principle of seeing that there is employment available for the number passed by the High Commissioner, so_as_not to over-supply the agricultural labour market, just as we do it by utilizing the labour exchanges and labour bureaus in seeing that people go to where work is obtainable for them, so that they are all employed. The result of our system is that we are getting as many people into New Zealand as we require for the purposes I have named, and for all the other purposes any one who chooses to come to our country is welcome, but we do not give assistance in the shape of a contribution from the Government towards a low passage to enable them to get out there. I believe it would be a good thing if we could by co-operating—that is. the High Commissioners' Office here co-operating—with the British labour exchanges utilize the machinery here for obtaining the class of people that we want. A suggestion, however, that a refund of the full passage should be made to the British Government would, I think, have to be carefully considered. I look at it from the practical business standpoint, which may not be a sound one, but I am of opinion that where a country like this requires emigration, and we require a certain amount of immigration, there is a mutual need on the part of both countries, and a fair proposition would be that the country which wants to help itself by assisting emigration should jointly with the country that wants to have immigration agree to pay the passage and not to expect a refund at all, because as a matter of practice I confirm what has been said by Mr. Batcbelor, that in New Zealand we never get a refund from an individual of the amount we contribute in the shape of reduced passage. Speaking on behalf of the Government of New Zealand, I think it would be futile for us to try to do anything of the kind. If it is an advantage to the Old World, as I take it it is, to get rid of a proportion of its surplus population that cannot be remuneratively kept here, it is worth something at least to have that side of the proposition carried out. As far as New Zealand is concerned, I would be prepared to consider this proposal with a view to the co-operation of the High Commissioner, and if it worked satisfactorily I should not object to transferring it altogether to the labour exchanges of the Old Country with the conditions we apply now to those who want to come to our country. We require them to be in good health, and we also stipulate that they shall have a small amount of money, so that they shall not come out to our country practically as paupers. Moreover, we require the health conditions to be beyond all question, on the ground that we are as anxious as can be that those suffering from incipient diseases of the nature of tuberculosis or anything else are not coming into our country. Mr. BATCHELOR : Do you mean transferring the whole organization ? Sir JOSEPH WARD : I think it might be considered, always provided our present conditions applied. . Canada is in quite a different position. They want to introduce large numbers of people, and if the British labour exchanges were working unitedly for all the oversea Dominions we would have to have a system of proportion, and probably Canada would not care about it. They advertise very largely, and the whole of their machinery is used with a, view of furthering the employment of people in their.country now, and I think there would be some difficulty in labour exchanges apportioning what was wanted. For instance, if we got too short a supply as the result of Canada and Australia drawing a larger number than we thought satisfactory, if the labour exchanges were working, naturally we should have to adopt some other method to get the number we required to come to our country. But I hail with a good deal of satisfaction the proposal of co-operation in a matter of this kind if we can bring it about. It is just one of those matters that I think might be considered by the Governments. The adoption of this resolution does not commit us to anything, and if any of us cannot fall in line with it, well and good. I shall be quite prepared to