UNFIT MIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1926, Page 5

UNFIT MIGRANTS.

MANY UNDERSIZED OTHERS MENTALLY WEAK. -. Statements reflecting on the administration of the Australian immigration office in London were before the Royal Commission on National Insurance at Melbourne. It was alleged that certain migrants who had arrived in Australia during the past six months were physically unfit, undersized, of weak mentality, and. wanting in initiative. They were cadging in the streets of Melbourne, lacking the ability to find employment. The witness concerned was Rev. A. E. F. Young, of the Mission of St. James and St. John. During five months of last year the mission acted for the Central Uneruployment Committee, said Mr. Young, being allotted single non-unionists under the age of 50 years, and of 1675 of these fairly complete records were kept. It was discovered that 35 per cent were natives of Victoria, 17 per cent were migrants who had come out during the previous four years, while' the remaining 48 per cent were made up of those who had come from other States, principally Tasmania and New South Wales, and from Great Britain, prior to the four years period. "There were crowds of Tasmanians," witness added. None of these men had any settled place of abode. They had never linked up with any association of their fellow men, and not one in 100 even had had a banking account. Almost without exception they were casual labourers. 1 The Chairman: The migrants to whom you refer; how did they get here? Witness: Sixty of them were assisted by the State Immigration Bureau, and over 200 worked their passages, or were helped out under various schemes. The Chairman: And they have failed to make good?

Physically Unfit. Witness: There are men cadging in the streets of Melbourne who have arrived in Australia during the past six months. They were selected migrants, but they are physically unfit, undersized, and lacking in initiative. Many of them have not a strong mentality. The Chairman: How were they selected in London, in that condition? Witness: Ido not know. Perhaps they; were members of large families. Senator Grant: How is it that they cannot get work? Witness: Mainly because of physical weaknesses and a lack of initiative. In reply to Senator Grant the witness said he would like to see the Commonwealth take over the work which the mission was performing. At least ha would like to see something done to assist the meri whom the mission was supporting. "There is an urgent need of a labour farm or industrial colony, where tha physically sub-normal could be helped to help themselves in times of depression," he concluded, "where migrants who had failed or were failing could be given a chance to recover, and where the unfit who infest our city could be socially nursed into useful and happy citizenship." Pension Co-ordination. Mr. W. McPiierson (Deputy Commissioner of Pensions in Victoria) said in his opinion it would be to the interest of the Commonwealth, and the beneficiaries, if all pension legislation were co-ordinated and brought under one administration. Such action undoubtedly would prevent a certain amount of overlapping which, under present conditions, was unavoidable. In answer to Senator Grant, Mr McPherson said he favoured the creation of one central administration to control the pension machinery, both of the State and of the Commonwealth. At the present time it was possible for a person to draw pensions from three sources simultaneously. Mrs. M. Mclnerny (president of the Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Society) said that, in her opinion, lack of thrift was the basis of a great amount of distress. J? "P l / t0 Mr. J. Francis, witness __ . r f he favour «i a scheme whereby the thriftless could be made thrifty by means of compulsory insurance. ' ''