TOO MANY IMMIGRANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 5, 7 January 1927, Page 5

TOO MANY IMMIGRANTS.

ARTISAN CLASS UNWELCOME

OUTSPOKEN REFORM M.P.'S,

WRONG TYPE BEING SENT TO NEW ZEALAND.

Of the Government's obdurate refusal

to revise its 10,000-immigrants-a-year scneme, in face of so much unemployment last winter and the danger of even greater distress this year, little has been said by Reform members, in or out of the House. However, when approached by a '"'Star 1 ' representative, Mr. V. HPotter, Reform member for Roskill, did not hesitate to speak freely, nor did Mr. A. Harris, Government member for Wai-

temata. Indeed, the last named went so far as to suggest that the existing scheme should be suspended for twelve months at least, in order that we might have time to take stock of the position. What Mr. Potter Said. "While I fully realise that we have a duty to the Motherland, in helping her solve the problems occasioned by overpopulation and consequent unemployment, I certainly do not think New Zealaud can justifiably impoverish herself by attempting to absorb large numbers of town and city workers," said Mr. Potter. '"Until such time a3 this country has a definite land policy, and can place immigrants on the land with a reasonable hope of their making a success of their undertakings, I do not see how the present system of immigration can be defended. What we want in this country are able-bodied folk from the rural districts of England, Scotland and Ireland, and, I would say, particularly from Scotland. Such people would be a credit to the Dominion, and would help us settle our unpopulated tracts of land.

Under the present system, however, the bulk of the new arrivals from the Old Country have to take positions in the towns and cities, and this is far from satisfactory. We Must be Fair to Ourselves. "We do not want tradespeople from Great Britain,'"' said Mr. Potter. "There is quite sufficient unemployment and distress in all our centres without adding further to the number who stand in queues waiting for jobs. I think the system which permits this is wrong. Nobody can shut his eyes to the fact that our towns are already full, and we simply cannot absorb immigrants who will seek employment from tradespeople. We must be fair to ourselves before we can afford to be generous to others. At all costs we must avoid impoverishing j ourselves by the dole system, which has proved so disastrous in England. Of course, we have the dole system in operation at the present time, under the disguise of relief from Charitable Aid Boards. Such relief amounts to exactly the same thing as the dole, for it all comes out of the Consolidated Fund and the pockets of the people. I certainly think the system is wrong, and needs

revision. We cannot go on in this way indefinitely, receiving shiploads of immigrants every month. The system is unfair both to ourselves and the new arrivals-" Mr Harris Speaks His Mind. Mr. Harris was no less emphatic. "The continuance of our existing immigration policy must be very seriously reconsidered," he said. "While we all believe in helping the Mother Country as much as we can, it cannot be denied that charity begins at home, and we must look first to our own prosperity before helping the Old Land. It does not i seem to me that we are receiving the j right type of immigrant. We do not j want immigrants who will do nothing j but add to our own problems of unem-|

ployment and its inevitable consequences. At the present stage of development, we cannot absorb large numbers of tradesmen or craftsmen who will look for work in the towns. What we do need, however, are agriculturists, experienced farmers. Of these, the Old Land has none to spare. She cannot supply us. Statistics show that only 17 per cent of the population of the Old Land comprises farmers and farm workers.

"Boys and girls are what we want in New Zealand," declared Mr. Harris. "That is the very best form or migration for this country, boys particularly. There must be thousands _of welleducated public school boys in England whose parents are seeking them opportunities which the Old Country cannot offer. Those parents are naturally looking to the colonies—to New Zealand—to make it possible for their sons to get a fair chance in life. If selected boys were sent to this country at the age of from 16 to 19 years, they would be much more likely to settle down and accustom themselves to the new life and the new land than would people well on in years. The boys could be given valuable experience on the land, which would fit them for agricultural pursuits on their own behiilf later in life. A large percentage of such boys might be expected to make a treat success of life and be a distinct asset to the Dominion. Girls of the rio-ht kind, who domestic service or go into the rural districts, would be valuable too. So many of the immigrants whom we get here are _ too old to hope to make a success of life under the new conditions which the\ nnd existing in New Zealand.