§ 15. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he is aware that settlers, with their wives and children, from this country in Western Australia under the group settlement scheme are housed, in some cases, for two years in cattle-sheds; and whether arrangements can be made for better housing accommodation to be provided for these settlers, in accordance with the promises held out to them before emigration?
§ Mr. AMERYI am not aware that any settlers under the Western Australian Group Settlement Scheme have been housed in cattle sheds. The settlers are usually accommodated in temporary shacks until cottages can he erected, Every effort is made to provide cottages as rapidly as possible, and in certain cases they have been prepared before the arrival of the settlers.
The representative of the Oversea Settlement Committee in Australia has made a report upon the Group Settlement Scheme in Western Australia which will be published at an early date.
§ 17. Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether his attention has been called to the new system of estimating the annual quota of immigrants to the United States of America to be allowed to each nationality; whether he is aware that the new system will have the effect of increasing the number of immigrants admitted from Great Britain from 34,000 to 85,000; and what special steps, if any, the Government propose to take, in conjunction with the government of the Dominion of Canada, in order to divert immigrants from this country to settle in Canada rather than in the United States of America, and so prevent a repetition of the situation before the War when the number of British emigrants entering the United States of America was greatly in excess of the number entering the Dominion of Canada?
§ Mr. AMERYI have seen a statement in the Press to the effect that the annual quota of British immigrants to the United States is likely to be increased in July, 1927, but His Majesty's Government have at present no official information to this effect. It is the policy 1640 of His Majesty's Government to encourage British subjects who proceed overseas to settle within the Empire, and assistance for this purpose is available in suitable cases under the Empire Settlement Act. I would, however, observe that most of the emigrants from this country to the United States are industrial workers for whom there is at present little or no demand in Canada.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman exercise his usual foresight in these matters and see that when this understanding does come into force he will endeavour to make some amendment of the Settlement Act which will enable more settlers to proceed to Canada thin is the case at present?
Viscountess ASTORIs it not true that settlers are very anxious to get into the United States, so long as there is no work for them in Canada?