Tiiic Lifi:-Blood of the Empire. 



39 



possible I And who will dure to say that it will be 

 harmlui to those wlio do not go to have a more eoni- 

 plete knowledge of the Empire and of the practical 

 things of life? The education of this country, instead 

 of being the foundation of all endeavour and the factory 

 of citizens, is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Imliued still 

 by the ideas of instruction prevalent in the Middle 

 Ages, then as now education seeks to give the semblance 

 and not the reality, to enable the .scholar to be a parrot, 

 but never to think things out. Organised instruction 

 tor Imperial emigration may be the first step towards 

 the reform of national education and advance the day 

 when education means desire and ability to think. At 

 present the ignorance about the Colonies is colossal, and 

 unless immediate steps are taken the new generation 

 will perpetuate this ignorance. With knowledge, how- 

 ever, will come fuller understanding and appreciation 

 of the glory of Empire citizenship. The patriotic 

 instincts should be appealed to. Everyone going to 

 another part of the Empire should be made to feel — 

 what is emphatically true — that over there he, or she, 

 would be looked on as a representative of the Old 

 Country. They are in their humble way real builders 

 of Empire. 



AN IMPERIAL BOARD OF EMIGRATION. 



The whole of the overseas dominions need the same 

 policy for their development, settlement, production, 

 manufactures, and defence. Great Britain has the 

 same policy. It seems apparent that the] solution 

 to the present chaos is joint action between the .Mother 

 ("ountry and the Dominions. No other satisfactory 

 wav out of the difficulty exists. Supervision over 

 countless private emigration agencies or societies is 

 impossible when we consider the figures of outflow, 

 which figures tend ever to increase. These show a 

 gain in British immigration in the four dominions of 

 ('anada, .\ustralia. New Zealand, and South .Mrica 

 during the last two years alone of nearly three-quarters 

 of ft million, distributed as follows : Canada, 250,465 ; 

 .\ustralia, 81,653; New Zealand, 16,830; South 

 Africa, 15,776. In 1902 only 4,366 persons left 

 Great Britain for the Australian Commonwealth ; in 

 1911 the total immigration was 65,758. The numbers 

 are sufticient to warrant a special permanent depart- 

 ment being lormerl to deal with emigration. This 

 should not be placed under any of the existing Ministries 

 — why strangle any new creation with the red tape of 

 generations .' It would be directed by an Imperial 

 hoard ( omposed of representatives of each of the over- 

 sea.s dominions and memlK-rs from this country com- 

 petent to deal with the subje<t — in no sense of the 



word should this board be a party business ; the 

 security of the life-blood of the I'.mpire is not a matter 

 to leave in the hands of parly politicians and wire- 

 puller>. 



WHAT THE BOARD WILr, DO. 



This Board of Emigration would study con- 

 ditions abroad and at home, and, while supplying 

 the fullest and honeste.-.t information, would sort out 

 emigrants, apportioning to each his or her most .suit- 

 able niche in which to work for the welfare of the 

 Empire. This department would naturally be in the 

 closest touch with the immigration departments of 

 the dominions. These would tabulate all openings 

 for labour, in\iie local applications, then cable the 

 balance of the unfilled places over to this country ; 

 next, select from the individuals submitted tho.se 

 who were most appropriate, and would, in short, be 

 supplied " to specification," then co-operate a.s to 

 fares , and, finally, place, distribute, and supervise 

 the immigrants imported. Through their instru- 

 mentality the Imperial Board should be able to arrange 

 for the enforcement of contracts, for checking desertion, 

 and collecting advances publicly or privately made. 

 It would be able to feed our oversea possessions as 

 required, and more effectively turn emigration in the 

 direction of our own Dominions. All touting would 

 come to an end, and the parts of the Colonies most in 

 need of labour would receive special attention. 



CANADA'S EXAMPLE. 



.Already Canada has begun to set her house in order, 

 and there has recently been published the report ol 

 Mr. .Xrthur Hawkes, special commissioner to investigate 

 the subject. He writes : — 



'• It is proposed to obtain a l)road uniformity ol 

 policy and co-operation with the Dommioii through 

 a central board, whose chairman shall be the chief ot 

 the Immigration Department, and whose financial 

 contribution to the provin(-ial services shall be propor- 

 tional to the as<'ertained value of the immigrant to 

 the Dominion Treasury in his first years in Canada. 

 It is proposed that the Canadian propaganda in 

 Europe be under the direction of the central board 

 operating with a consultative board with the High 

 Commissioner at its head ; each province being 

 provided for by the appointment of special representa- 

 tives working in a rotation of special districts, and 

 their work syslemalically followed u[» by the general 

 organisation. The Dominion should re adapt its 

 machinery for obtaining immigrants with a view to 

 securing the utmost degree of permanenc' in th( 



