DRIFT FROM AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 15, 19 January 1931, Page 10

DRIFT FROM AUSTRALIA.

INQUIRIES BY MINISTERS

KO POWER OF. PREVENTION

(By Telegraph.—6wn Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON", Sunday

The situation created l)y the number of men arriving from Australia who are unable to find work, and who will, aggravate the unemployment situation has been investigated' by the Hon. S. Q. Smith,."Avho is chairman of the Unemployment Board and Minister of Immigration,' and the Hon. J. G* Cobbe, acting-Minister' of • ; Customs, but: it appears-that the Government is practi-: eally p6werless to stop these men t'vom entering'the. country. •. ,

At present there is no authority for the G6vernment to refuse the entry into the country of anyone from Australia who has paid hie passage money, and who is not suffering'from an infectious disease. Although an attempt has been made to ascertain the numbers arriving; from Australia, it has been impossible! to find put how many of the arrivals remain', in v the country permanently. However, it is known that the number who do not return is considerable, and a significant proportion of these we believed to be men who have left Australia with the object of escaping the hardship existing there under the stringent economic condition's, aud incidentally partaking of any advantages tliu Dominion can offer.