IMMIGRATION

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 24, 28 July 1917, Page 7

IMMIGRATION

THE HINDU PROBLEM.

"How on earth do those people get f into the country?" said Mr. J. A. Young,/ referring in Parliament 'to' the case of some Hindus who have recently been giving rise to some trouble in the North-^. em district. He pointed out that under'j the Immigration Act, ' all such people should pass an educational test before en-. toring the Dominion.. Yet some of them, it was'proved, could not read their own names, or understand what was said to them in English. '■■ . " Mr. Wilford said the real problem that had to be settled was the indentured' labour problem, the'price of sugar, and. the price we might have to pay for the help of Japan in the war. The problem, was a big one, and representations should be'made'to the Imperial Government to deal with the question at an.early date in the interests of the overseas Dominions. . ; .. ■

The Rt. Hon. 'W. F. Massey suggested that the present moment was not a good one in which to enter into.such a discussion. He had been behind the scenes, and he did not think it advisable to discuss the subject. Dr. Thacker pointed but that there were Australian shearers and slaughtermen who came over here, thereby escaped service at the front, and were taking up positions and land which should be, occupied by our own men when they came back' from the war zone. Mr. Massey- said such matters as these had been the subject of yery great consideration by the Imperial Conference. Hindus arriving here could only be admitted .on an educational test.. He.. thought the difficulty "with regard to Indian immigration had been greatly got over by what had occurred at the- Imperial War Conference, and he believed that it was now practically settled.