STATEMENT FOR THE COMMITTEE OF THE EMIGRANTS'
(Confidential.)
INFORMATION OFFICE.
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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C.O.
Reference :-
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17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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Emigrants' Information Office,
31, Broadway, Westminster, S.W. The Committee will remember that my visit to Australia originated in a sugges- tion made by the Commonwealth Government that a representative of the Office should pay a visit to Australia, similar to my visit to Canada, which was referred to in the yearly report for 1903. The purpose of my visit to Australia, which, at the desire of the Committee was extended to New Zealand, was described by the Secretary of State, in informing the State Governors, as follows:-"To collect information concerning Australia which may be of service in the work of the Emigrants' Information Office. His visit, like that which he made two years ago to Canada, will not be of a formal nature, and it is not intended that he should draw up any report for publication."
Suggestions for subjects of enquiry were made by members of the Committee, chiefly under the following heads:
1. The working of the immigration laws, and more particularly the arrange- ments for the reception of immigrants and for giving them advice and help.
2. The inducements offered and openings existing.
3. The attitude of public opinion towards immigration.
I arrived in the Orient liner "Omrah" at Fremantle on 27th October, which was a day behind her time, owing to the delay caused by the blowing up of the "Chatham" in the Suez Canal. After seeing Mr. Rason, the Premier, at Perth, it was arranged that I should visit various districts in the south-west of the State, where most settlement is going on and the best agricultural land is situated, and this I accordingly did, being accompanied by Mr. Chaplin, the Director of Agri- culture. I travelled down on the Albany line as far as Katanning, also visiting Wagin and Narrogin, and then to York. We then visited the great mining centre Kalgoorlie, and came back to Northam and again to Perth. We then went down to Wokalup, in the timber country, and on to Bunbury and Bridgetown. While in Perth I also visited Guildford, Clermont, where the Royal Agricultural Show was held, Mundaring and Kalamunda, all of which places are at a short distance from Perth. During my journeys in Western Australia I met a number of local people, chiefly farmers. I left Western Australia on 14th November by the P. and O. steamer "Macedonia," arriving at Adelaide on 18th November. I saw here the Premier, Mr. Price, the Chief Secretary, and various officials and private persons, but did not travel in the State. I left on 22nd November for Melbourne, where I went to see the Federal Premier Minister, Mr. Deakin, who introduced me to Mr. Watson, the Leader of the Labour Party, and various Members of Parliament. Mr. Swinburne, one of the State Ministers, kindly arranged that I should see various parts of Victoria in company of officials and others who knew the country, and I accordingly paid flying visits to Colac, to the west of Melbourne, Trawalla (beyond Ballarat), Gippsland (Warrigul to Trafalgar), the Goulburn Valley (East Murchison, Tatura, &c.), and Wangaratta. I then went on to New South Wales, arriving at Sydney on 3rd December. The Premier, Mr. Carruthers, directed the head of the Intelligence Department, Mr. Anderson, who has charge of the immigra- tion work, to arrange for me to see typical districts of the State, and I accordingly visited Bathurst and Orange to the west of Sydney, Berry to the south, and Murwillumbah and Lismore (northern rivers). I also visited Paramatta and Richmond, where the Hawkesbury Agricultural College is situated, and other places near Sydney. While in Sydney I met, among others, some of the Labour Members of Parliament, to whom Mr. Watson had given me introductions, and Dr. Arthur, who is President of the Immigration League. I left. Sydney on 18th December, arriving next day in Brisbane. Mr. Morgan, the Premier, was away unwell at the
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