A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1926, Page 10

A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE.

IMMIGRATION CRITICISED. NATIVES ASSOCIATION CAMPAIGN. The NeW Zealand Natives Association held its fortnightly meeting in the Empire Buildings last evening, the chair being occupied by the president (Mr. Oakley Browne). There was a large attendance.

The president outlined the work of the last tivo weeks, and expressed tbe opinion that had it not been for the steps taken by the Association the Government would not have taken up the unemployed question. He was pleased to be able to state that the Prime Minister had recognised the work of the Association, and had given it representation on the official committee set up to deal with unemployment. He was sorry to have to announce that the Prime Minister had declined to recognise that immigration had any connection with unemployment. "We have made contracts," Mr. Coates informed the Natives Association deputation, "and we are going to honour them." It was quite evident that the Association would have to continue to hammer away at this important question. Public opinion behind the Association, and they would continue to hold public meetings with a view to bringing the Government to realise that unless there was a settled immigration policy embracing the absorption of those who came from overseas on to the land to increase our volume of production there would continue to be unemployment and distress throughout the country.

"We want population," he concluded, "but it is not fair to those who already have come from the Homeland, and it is not fair to those who belong to New Zealand to continue to bring thousands of people into the Dominion when there is no way of giving them cheap land and financing them, as was done in the earlier days."

earlier days." It was decided to hold open-air meetings every Friday evening, commencing at Newmarket to-night, to bring the question prominently before the public. In regard to necessitous- cases arising out of the present state of unemployment the Investigation Committee reported on many visits paid to families who were in distress. Some of the conditions reported were very B ad, and a number of people have been helped in the matter of clothing and food.