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%th Emigration. [9 June, 1911. The CHAIRMAN— cont. —I do not say you would —an element of competition as between, say, different States in Australia, as to the encouragement which should be given to people to go to New South Wales rather than Queensland, or to Western Australia rather than to Tasmania. Various undesirable questions of that kind might arise. But if Mr. Batchelor would like to move a resolution that the Secretary of State should be requested to make arrangements for closer contact for the purposes of information with the Agents-General, I should be quite happy to accept that, so long as we do not interfere with the present constitution. Mr. BATCHELOR : I do not think it is necessary. The CHAIRMAN : We do keep in very close touch, and I will see that the information is kept up to the very last moment, as, indeed, it always has been, I am happy to say. Mr. BATCHELOR : The idea was to draw attention to it rather than anything else. Sir JOSEPH WARD : The resolution is quite sufficient, I think. Mr. BURNS : I would ask the representatives of the Conference present to look at the character and quality of the information that is sent out by the Emigrants' Information Office, and in answer to Mr. Batchelor I may say that you have only to mention the amount of correspondence to see an improvement in the methods of working, because in the four years between 1907 and 1910 it has risen from 86,000 to 132,000, which, I think, symptomises what Mr. Batchelor wants, that there should be an opportunity of seeing that the Dominions beyond the seas, so far as the Information Office is concerned, get all the necessary information given to intending emigrants who may wish to go to the various Dominions. Mr. FISHER : Before the discussion closes I should like to say that a remark made by Sir Joseph Ward regarding what they did in New Zealand might, if applied to Australia, continue a misapprehension that is in the minds of the people of Great Britain and other countries regarding our immigration laws. We have not in practice applied the educational test to any people of European descent. Mr. BATCHELOR : We have never applied it to any white men. Mr. FISHER : No; but that did not prevent persons at this side of the world saying we did. The Commonwealth has been much misrepresented for years on that question. Happily Australia is better known and appreciated to-day. The Local Government Board has assisted in bringing that good feeling about. I recommend Australia to those who intend to make a new home in another country. It is healthy, and the standard of comfort for the worker is as high as it is in any other country. The CHAIRMAN : I think, as we are not absolutely re-affirming the terms of the resolution of the Conference of 1907, some slight alteration would be necessary in the resolution I suggested. I think possibly the Conference might like to begin with the words : " Having heard the interesting and explanatory statement from Mr. Burns, resolved, That the present policy of encouraging British emigrants to proceed to British Dominions rather than foreign countries be continued on the present lines, and that full co-operation be accorded to any Dominion desiring immigrants." Does that seem satisfactory? Mr. FISHER : It seems clear and direct. Sir JOSEPH WARD : I think it is very good.