The Auckland Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1937. IMMIGRATION—WHEN?

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 22, 27 January 1937, Page 6

The Auckland Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1937. IMMIGRATION—WHEN?

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the futvrc in the distance, And the good that tee can do.

It is nearly ten years .since immigration to Xew Zealand was virtually stopped, by (iovernment action, and as a people we arc -till in doubt as to the wisdom of permitting or encouraging its resumption. The present Government, aware that the population is coming to a standstill owing to the continual decrease of the birth rate, agrees in principle that immigration will be wise—but omits to say when. The Prime Minister, commenting yesterday on the report of a discussion in the House of Commons, declared that New Zealand is "not yet ready to welcome assisted immigrants." In this opinion Mr. Savage would have the support of probably a majority of New Zealanders, who feel strongly that while we continue to number our unemployed

population, it would be "unpardonably foolish to bring thousands of immigrants to the Dominion if we were not in a position to guarantee them a livelihood." Quite naturally, because there is no agreement on the matter, Mr. Savage did not satisfactorily indicate the Government's views as to the conditions which must obtain before it will co-operate in any migration policy.

"Work must first be available for all," says the Prime Minister. If we were to attain that happy state, in which all jobs were filled and others were available but going begging, would that be the right time to promote immigration? Could it not, and would it not, be argued then that a "flood" of immigrants would upset our equilibrium? If there were an acute shortage of workers it would soon lie remedied, because the high wages offering would attract men from overseas, but such immigration, although not to be scorned, would not rapidly increase the population. Something on a larger scale is needed. Mr. A. E. Mander, in the series of articles which the "Star" published recently, suggested that the Dominion should obtain 50,000 selected newcomers in a year, who must be "guaranteed wages for one year and placed at some special work which is right outside the system of production and service." He argued that the essential requirement was that immigrants should be "consumers from the outset"—the jobs would follow.

Mr. Mander's theory might not stand close examination, but it deserves it. Nothing is more certain than that any scheme of largescale migration needs most careful consideration and preparatory organisation if it is not to end in disappointment, recrimination and misery. And first of air there must be agreement on the question of the economic effects which may be expected from the addition of a large number of men, women and children to an existing population. If we are not reasonably certain what those effects will be, then planning and preparation have no sound foundation. The Government has appointed commissions to investigate questions much less important than this.