§ Major GLYNasked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he has received any information as to how many persons are to-day unemployed in Canada, Australia, and South Africa; what communications have been received by the Dominions Office as to the possibility of accepting immigrants during this year; and, if so, what skilled trades should applicants belong to in order to have favourable consideration?
§ Mr. LUNNIn reply to the first part of the question, I am not in possession of any precise information as to the number of persons unemployed in Canada, Australia and South Africa. In reply to the second part, assisted passages to Canada and guaranteed employment are available for juveniles for farm work and women for household work, and for these classes there is a large demand. Assisted passages are also available for families experienced in farm work or who can be accepted under a land settlement scheme. In addition, His Majesty's Government in Canada intimated some few months ago that they were themselves prepared to place in farm employment during the coming season 3,000 single men who will be trained and provided with free passages, etc., by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia have intimated that they have found it necessary to suspend temporarily assisted migration except for the purpose of reuniting families and for juveniles, farm workers and single women household workers requisitioned by the State Governments. There is no assisted migration to South 259W Africa where, generally speaking, the openings for settlers from the United Kingdom are limited to those with capital. In reply to the last part of the question, the above are the only categories of settlers to whom assisted passages can be granted during the present year. Those who pay their own passages to the Dominions, including persons travelling to Canada at the special reduced ocean passage rate of £10, are free to engage in any kind of employment on arrival.