AID TO WAR ORPHANS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 133, 17 March 1948, Page 2

AID TO WAR ORPHANS

GOVERNMENT POLICY CRITICISED

Ashburton Urged to Take Immigrants

Appeals to Ashburton residents to support the Canterbury Immigration Society in its efforts to bring displaced and under-privi-leged children from Europe to Canterbury, and endeavour to rouse public opinion to force the Government to carry out an increased immigration policy, were presented by Mr J. L. Hay and Mrs W. McKay to a meeting of representatives of Ashburton organisations, both borough and county, held in Ashburton last night.

On the motion of (lie Mayor, Mr E. C. Bathurst, the meeting carried the following resolutions unanimously: (1) “That this meeting pledges its support to the Canterbury Immigration Society to persuade the Government to bring to Canterbury 100 children from the United Kingdom and Europe, together with a number of widows.”

(2) “That representatives of organisations report hack to their organisa tions, and that the Mayor convene another meeting in April with the object of forming a small committee to"assist the j Canterbury Immigration Society to bring child immigrants to Canterbury.” (3) “This meeting urges the Government immediately to take the necessary action to secure for -New Zealand as many war-orphaned British and/or selected Continental children as homes (institutional and private) can accommodate. We urge this, believing that we have a moral respon sibility concerning them, and also because we believe that it is economically sound to do so.” (4) “That because of the weak position of this country as to defence, and because of the almost impossible situation created in Great Britain by world economic and political changes, we urge the New Zealand Government greatly to increase the number of immigrants coming to the Dominion.” (5) “We urge the Government immediately to arrange .shipping priorities for unassisted married immigrants for whom work and accommodation are available on arrival.” (6) “This -community pledges itself to render all possible assistance in connection with such a policy.” Need for Immigration The Mayor briefly introduced the speakers, Mrs W. McKay (a member of the North Canterbury Hospital Board) and Mr J. L. Hay (a member of the Christchurch City Council) as members of the Canterbury Immigration Society. Mr Hay described the beginnings of the Canterbury Society. It had come into being because of the thousands of inquiries being received in Christchurch from people anxious to come out from England and Europe and settle in New Zealand, he said. “War gives birth to great movements, and we are witnessing one of the greatest migrations in history,” said the speaker. Australia had taken 16,000 immigrants last year, and this year planned to take 70,000. Canada and South Africa were acting in the matter, and only New Zealand was lagging behind. Over 25,000 people wanted to come to New Zealand, and the Government had no implemented plan to absorb them.

The Canterbury Immigration Association had a far wider objective than simply immigration by children, said Mr Hay. What was the use of establishing new industries if labour was not available? New Zealanders should enter the second century of their country with the challenge to carry on the work of development initiated by the pioneers. Either New Zealand must populate or they could not hold the country. Industry and farming were very seriously hampered because available labour was insufficient. For instance, the woollen industry was. now working at about half its capacity because of the labour shortage. The South Island was languishing for want of increased population. In the past. 10 years the South Island had gone back and back. The net gain in population over this period was 23. Shipping and Housing Problems • His association, continued Mr I-lay, hoped to create an atmosphere favourable to immigration and arouse public opinion. If opinion was aroused, the Government would be forced to move. The association could promote schemes to take to the Government, and thought it might facilitate unassisted immigration. It was recognised that difficulties of housing, shipping. and local prejudice would, of course, have to be overcome. Australia, because they had the will and the determination to absorb immigrants, had solved the shipping problem. They had 10 ships carring immigrants and expected to have 12 more shortly. Mr Hay said that the society had a policy to provide houses for immigrants in Christchurch. Their proposal was that houses he mass produced and assembled at the beach resorts on the coast, the houses to be rented to the immigrants, at perhaps 15s a week, and later sold as holiday homes. In Victoria they were producing transportable houses that would accommodate four persons, which would cost £ 350.

Child Immigration

Mi's McKay said that the immediate policy of the society was to get 100 child immigrants to New Zealand. She did not think that they should be got from Great Britain, because the Mother Country would look after its own children. She said that New Zealand should immediately bring out some displaced children from Europe. The appalling conditions in Germany and Europe were in danger of falling on deaf ears. We heard and read so much about them in New Zealand that they no longer touched us feelingly. “There are few questions to-day which demand an answer more urgently than the question “Am l my brother’s keeper?" said tlie speaker. Tens of thousands of children were dying of starvation in Europe, and she (lid not think that the children’s cry would fall on deaf ears. New Zealand had delayed for so

long that possibly the pick of the displaced children had already been taken. Mrs McKay quoited Miss Dorothy Morris, a New Zealander who had been engaged in relief work overseas from the time of the Spanish civil war, as saying that long-term hopes of sanctuary in New Zealand and Australia for displaced children had been entertained. Five years ago they hoped for this, and in .1948 they were still hoping.

Homes Available

Stating that over 40 people had offered to provide homes for child immigrants, Mrs McKay said that the society had been offered the use of two big houses in Christchurch which could easily be adopted for the children. Women would be needed to manage these homes, and the society felt that a number of widowed mothers could be brought out with the children. Churches'of all denominations had declared themselves in favour of child migration. Homes had offered, to take more children if staffing problems could be met. Mrs McKay concluded by stating that Mr Hay and herself had come all the way from Christchurch to ask Ashburton to help the society in their effort to bring immediately .100 displaced children to Canterbury, and to endeavour to rouse the Gdvernment to an immediate increased immigrant policy. The Mayor, in thanking the speakers, expressed the opinion that .100 Children was a mere drop in the bucket. He felt that Ashburton, who had so magnificently responded to the aid-for-Britain, Corso and other appeals, would come forward wholeheartedly in support of the Canterbury Immigration Society. A questioner asked if there were really thousands of children available in Europe for immigration. He had heard that Britain had wanted 2000 children and could not get them. Roth speakers referred to persons who had recently been in Europe and had said that there were thousands of children orphaned and homeless. The meeting discussed at some length the best way in which Ashburton could assist the Canterbury Immigration Society. It was suggested that two representatives from Ashburton be appointed to the society. Mr E. .J. Wood stated that while this was desirable, he felt that a committee should he formed in Ashburton to do the spade work in the district—collecting donations, finding homes for the children, etc.

The Mayor agreed, and stated that he did not think it would be difficult to find some homes. He had been assured of the assistance of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers and the Federation of Women’s Institutes.

The resolutions mentioned above were carried and the meeting concluded.