Immigration Question Discussed in Australia

The question of immigration and land settlement in Australia is being broadly discussed in the Australian press and in the state legislatures.

Group settlement, as arranged in the agreement between the British Government and the Commonwealth Government, has been suspended. According to this agreement, which came into effect September, 1922, 17,168 persons emigrated to Australia; 124 groups, comprising 2,287 settlers, are in operation. The land is provided by the states free. It has been found that the cost per settler is at least £1,600, which is £600 in excess of the amount which according to the agreement can be charged to the settler. To cover the deficit a loan is now being negotiated for a further £4,000,000. A royal commission will be appointed to investigate the situation.

Efforts are also being made to encourage the immigration to Western Australia of young men with capital, who will take up large areas of land for cattle and sheep raising. For this purpose a London and Western Australian Association was formed at a meeting in London and an organization is to be set up both in London and in Perth.

The question of the immigration of aliens has been raised recently both in the Commonwealth House of Representatives and in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. In the House of Representatives a question was raised with special reference to immigrants from Southern Europe. The Prime Minister said that the Government gave no encouragement and no financial assistance to Southern Europeans to come to Australia. It had been arranged with the Government of Italy, the country most concerned, that passports for Australia should be issued only when immigrants had sufficient funds to support themselves, and when they had been nominated by relatives or friends who would look after them on arrival.

In the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales the question was raised in view of the fact that twenty Jugoslav workmen had arrived and were looking for work. It is alleged that these immigrants had been brought to the country in order to lower the standard of living of Australian workers. The Minister of Public Instruction replied that the State Government was in no way responsible for bringing the Jugoslav workers to New South Wales. Alien immigration, moreover. was a Federal question, over which the State had no control.

Dedication of the Center of the Temple Beth Emeth, Wilmingion, Del, took place here. $3,500 was contributed for the upkeep and furnishing of the Center.