LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 11

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES. UKIOK MEETINGS FOB. THE WEEK. (By IXnrSTRTAL TRAMP. 1 CMON XIEETIM.S FOR THE VTEBK , F« t»rrsrr 1 — f /'►ral T-ah | <*iHr'"* «r. \ Ti> Worker*. Shipvrirh:*. En~'n<* V<'hrv.~.TT '2-(monthh n-nrk». Moi'»r T>river* | n—Ldihmir j « rs. I>k-~3 Carrtnkrr* nn<] , Thurfwlat. Ke-bruary 4.—Timtwr Workem. A RECURRING QUESTION. ! It is interesting to notice the efforts thai are being put forward from time to time by short-sighted but well-meaning persons, some of whom pose as phil.m- ---■ thropists. to a<3d to the population of j the Dominion by some organised scheme jof iininigration. oblivious to the conI sideration of whether the Dominion can I profitably absorb a steady tide of imj migrants. Little or no consideration is ' given by these advocates of adult increases in population to the condition or class of immigrants required to hew out for themselves homes in a country that possesses larger areas of unoccupied land than where they were brought tip by State aid. Xew Zealand, for the last 15 Tears, has passed through an economic experiI ence which should warn its people of the danger of encouraging any abnormal influx of population from abroad. From the earliest years immigrants had been welcomed to settlements that had not then arisen to the status of large towns or cities. Tradesmen as well as agricultural workers were alike welcomed, for primary production was very limited and there were very few secondary industries. We had to import our own flour, jams and fruit from Hobart, and sugar from Jamaica or Demerara. Our blankets and sheetings were imported, our shirts and slop suits were . made in England and sent out by sailing ship, and so also was our furniture, while our ranges and cooking stoves — with the exception of the old colonial oven, emanating from the local blacksmith—came "out from Home*' in the days of old. Xo wonder that immigrants on an organised scale were welj conied in the embryo towns and cities. I am writing now of my own impressions of Auckland in the 'seventies of last century. But that feeling no longer exists amongst the rank and file of the Dominion. Our memories of invasion of immigrants, not ten years ago. when an anti-Labour Government contracted to absorb State-aided immi- [ grants at the rate of 10.000 a year. 1 when at the same time we could not 1 place as wage earners some 15.000 or r | 20.000 of our own boys who were leaving school at the end of each year, are 1 too painfully recent to permit of a 1 Labour Government perpetrating the y ame blunder. Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald.

the present Dominions Secretary, in the House of Commons last week, while he said ""he hoped the day was not far distant when a beginning should he made, with the co-operation of the Dominion authorities, to expand the present volume of Empire migration,** added. "It is for the Dominions to say the word 'Go.'" That is the crux of i the whole question. And Mr MacDnnald knows the position. Not so lonjf ago T was present at a civic reception {riven to him at the Town Hall. He went through the Dominion. He has seen the extent of our secondary industries. Our looms turn out many and beautiful rugs and textiles. We manufacture our own clothing and walk abroad in well fitting suits utterly independent of tailors imported from the West End of London. We produce our own jams and sauces, canned meats and fruits, to find a ready market in the islands of the Pacific, and in very many articles we are self-con-tained. so there is little wonder that our Labour Prime Minister. Mr. Savage, declares that the time for an organised stream of immigration "in not vet." Our trade*, starved of their man power during the years of stagnation, will soon be supplied again with apprentices, and onr 20.000 boys leaving school annually will find a ready meana of legitimate absorption. After that k accomplished. it will be time enough to talk of calling for immigration. Just at present we are starting to put our house in order and are on the upward grade. The eyea of the other parts of the Empire are looking towards this little Dominion as the land of interesting experiments and T cannot help thinking that philanthropists in other parte of the British Commonwealth are too ready to foist some of the "submerged" part of their population on the rising tide of the Dominion, without takin? the risk of economic alterations in their own domains. Migration Law in South Africa. New regulations har<> been isste<f altering the conditions under whirl immigrants may enter the Union o) South Africa. The regulations cam* into force on November 1. 1513 G. At present immigrants must be able themselves, or through their friends or "employers, to show that thevha»e means of siip|>ort for at least 12 months. Under Ihe new regulations immigrants will have to satisfy the authorities lhat they have sufficient actual money in their possession, as opposed t'> guarantees, before they can enter the country. This restriction applies to immigrant* from all parts of the j world. Union's "No" to More Foreign Waiters. Hotels in London will, of course, need extra waiters to deal with the Coro- ! nation vi-itors next year, but how will | these waiters be obtained* I Two conflicting views were expressed ! in London: — J Mr. A. H. .Tones, general manager of I the Grosvenor Hotel, thinks that the shortage will be so serious that foreign waiters will have to be imported. Mr. A. G. Parker, of the catering trades section of the Transport and General Workers' Union, declares that there are enough unemployed waiters in Britain to fulfil all needs. West End managers were so concerned about the position, said Mr. Jones, that they were considering asking the Government to lift the Kan on foreign waiters for the Coronation period. "Either we have got to import waiters ' or bring some of the unemployed from l the distressed areas to London to l>e * trained." * | When told of these prc-jxisajs to ? import foreign labour, or to <*:.ta r. men s from the distressed areas. Mr. Parker f;said: "We will oppose any sii• a £t• i*s gestions for all we are >vuith. W t i have unemployed mom'-era all ov* the k" | eour.trv who are only too anxious to - obtain Work- Many of them are unable I to accept work because of the acan- - da loudly low wages offered. If ttm right t wages are offered I can assure tm~ hotel r managements that there *i'< h# W0 ' shortage of labour."