§ Sir H. FOSTERasked the Prime Minister the approximate number of farms that may be available in Canada in 1928 under the 3,000 farm scheme; and whether it is proposed to arrange for the testing and training of families in this country before they proceed overseas?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is understood that approximately 500 farms will be available in Canada next year to complete the 3,000 families scheme. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
§ Sir H. FOSTERasked the Prime Minister if he can give information as to any group settlement schemes in operation within the Commonwealth of Australia; if he can indicate any other Government schemes in operation within the Dominions for assisting married men with families and without capital to settle on the land; and whether any scheme is available in England for training and testing the vocation of such families before they proceed overseas, in view of the success of families trained under the Catterick scheme as compared with those families not training in England?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Western Australian Group Settlement Scheme is the only scheme of this description in operation in Australia. Some 1,600 British families have been settled under this scheme, which has been closed to further recruiting for some time. The 3,000 Families Scheme in Canada is designed for families without capital, as are also new land settlement schemes which have been arranged with the Dominion Government in conjunction with the provincial Governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The only facilities for training and testing families at present available in this country are those provided under the War Office scheme of vocational training for serving soldiers.