WAS IT UTTERED?

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 212, 6 September 1911, Page 9

WAS IT UTTERED?

THE IMMIGRATION POLICY. <By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON", Tuesday. A leading article in this morning's j i "Dominion" in which certain statements alleged to have been made by the High | Commissioner in regard to a dearth of labour in New Zealand- appeared, to- ; gether with caustic, comment, was the sub- | ject of an inquiry from Mr. Russell of the j Prime Minister this afternoon. I "I have no information regarding the ; subject in question." said the Prime MinI ister. in reply to Mr. Russell. '"But."' he | added. "I am til<*graphing an outline of the statement to the High Commissioner, I with a request for the authority of such j a statement." Sir Joseph Ward went on I to say that no such authority as that sug- ! gested in the article had ever been given. ] and he went on to read the paragraph in I the report of the Conference proceedings ! touching the question under review. The 1 Premier pointed out that the Dominion's policy in regard to assisted immigration had been consistent, which, he contended, was shown in the fact that during the past 18 months the number of immigrants assisted to the Dominion totalled 3292. The Government, he explained, had not changed its policy in this respect, and had not given any instructions to make any alterations so far as numbers were concerned. "I think." he concluded, "it will be found that there has been some mistake or misapprehension made concerning the matter, and T should be very . much surprised to find that Sir William Hall-Jones made any such statement."