IMMIGRATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 196, 20 August 1938, Page 12

IMMIGRATION.

ROYAL COMMISSION ?

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE.

GERMANS' APPLICATIONS.

(By Telegraph.—-Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

| "Passage money for immigrants. £780," was an item on the Estimates of the Department of Labour which provoked some comment from Opposition members in the House of Representatives yesterday.

"Is the Government' beginning to extend its immigration policy?" asked Mr. J. Hargest (National, Awarua). "Perhaps these are the ten carpenters brought to Auckland some time ago, or were they brought out privately? Is it going to be the policy of the Government to bring out mpre tradesmen, and on what terms do they receive their passage money ? There is . a growing feeling that in view of our almost static population this vote might be expanded and encouragement* given to immigrants of a suitable type."

Mr. Hargest said that many members of the House supported the Five Million Club, and be knew that the Government had received many applications from German nationals, German Jews, who wished to make their home in New Zealand. He knew that the northern European people, next to those from the United Kingdom, -were New Zealand's best settlers. Prosperity Peak. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (National,. Waitomo) thought that the remarks of the previous speaker were timely. New Zealand was at the peak of prosperity, a country with almost unlimited natural resources, and its main lack was people. It was primarily a question of Empire development. "We want a larger market for our manufactures end that can only happen in the main by more people," he said. "We want a larger market for British goods that we do not manufacture, and our best method of inducing that is to get more people, especially from Great Britain."

Mr. Broadfoot agreed that in the past New Zealand had had excellent settlers from the northern parts of Europe, and if the Mother Country could not spare the type of people New Zealand wanted to fill its spaces the Government should make the opportunity of immigration available for people of those other nations.

After referring to the operation of the Fairfcridge scheme in Australia, Mr. Broadfoot said that immigration viu of extreme importance at the present time, and he thought the Government should set up a Royal Commission to go into all phases of it. There were natural resources in plenty in New Zealand which could provide not only for the people on the land but for those in industry. Surplus Population. "We have to look to the Old Country for defence," Mr. Broadfoot'added. "If she has a prgtyeig of suif&Mi population and we suffer from the lack .of it we should do that which is in our best interests."

Replying, the Minister of labour, Mr. Armstrong, said there bad been no change in immigration policy since last year. The vote on the Estimates was in respect only to members, of the family of immigrants who had been left behind, and it was only reasonable that some assistance should be given to them.-The item covered' the gross payment of passage money t» shipping companies, of which approximately two-thirds was recoverable _ from the immigrants and the Imperial Government in eoual shares.