1536 IMPERIAL UNITY [PART VIII
notice to the Dominion Governments, who would pass on
the applications to their agents in London, by whom in
concert with the Labour Exchanges vacancies could suitably
be filled. If necessary, the Imperial Government would be
prepared to advance the cost of passages, provided the
Dominion Governments were prepared to guarantee the
refund.
The proposal, however, was not warmly received. Sir
Wilfrid Laurier! did not look with favour on the direct
promotion of emigration of this kind, whether from Great
Britain or elsewhere. No matter how carefully guarded,
it would probably lead to friction between employer and
employee in Canada. The Canadian Manufacturers’ Associa-
tion had opened an office in London for the purpose of
securing skilled labour, but they had found it unsuccessful
and the office had been closed.
Mr. Batchelor,? on behalf of the Commonwealth, explained
that, as the matter of selecting emigrants still rested with the
Agents-General of the States, he had held a meeting with
the Agents-General and had consulted them on the matter,
but he found that they were adverse to the proposal. One
great disadvantage was the question of time ; to communi-
cate the wants of employers, to select and dispatch the men,
would take probably six months, and by that time the con-
ditions of the labour market might have entirely changed,
and the State Governments would certainly be reluctant
to depart from the principle of having complete control of
the selection of assisted emigrants. Moreover, experience
showed that to obtain a refund of passage money was very
difficult, but he had no objection to the proposal being further
zonsidered by a sub-committee.
Sir Joseph Ward ® was of opinion that some use could be
made of the agency; the New Zealand Government most
carefully regulated immigration so as to secure that immi-
grants landed only at suitable seasons, and by a system of
Labour Exchanges which had been in force since 1894 they
Cd. 5745, pp. 154, 155. * Ibid., pp. 155-7.
Ibid., pp. 167-9.
