"OWN LADS FIRST"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 290, 7 December 1944, Page 8

"OWN LADS FIRST"

THEN WAR ORPHANS MR. FRASER ON IMMIGRATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A statement of the Government's policy on immigration and other measures designed to increase New Zealand's population was sought by a deputation from the Dominion Settlement and Population Association which waited on the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, to-day. The spokesmen were the president of the association, Mr. A. Leigh Hunt, and Sir Clutha Mackenzie, who is on furlough from India. Mr Fraser said immigration 'of orphans from Britain and various other countries would be looked on most sympathetically. It would not involve difficulties of housing and employment. Every possibility in that direction would be explored, with preference, of course, for British orphans. If the Polish people decided they would like the children already in New Zealand to remain they would be very welcome. "We are so impressed with the urgency of the problem that we urge the GoVernment to send a mission abroad with wide powers to secure as many orphans as it can," said Mr. Hunt.

In reply to the advocacy of a universal family allowance, Mr. Fraser said there were many other things involved in the suggestion. For instance, if it were introduced it might be necessary to revise or abolish the income tax allowance. Legislation to be introduced next year to.provide for a national minimum family income would go a long way to meet the position. "I do not think anyone Will question that our first responsibility is to carry out rehabilitation to the limit of our resources," said the Prime Minister. "Our country must have a larger population, but that is away ahead. The immediate problem is our own lads." Difficulty Over Shipping Mr. Fraser said there were 7000 prisoners of war and he had not the slightest idea how soon after they were liberated shipping would bo available to bring them back to New Zealand. "We have men now as near as Australia who have been away five years and we will be lucky if we get transport for them," he said. There were also hundreds of New Zealand civilians in Britain and the United States waiting for transport which would probably be occupied for many months after the war with returning servicemen and prisoners of war, who would have to have priority. New Zealand's immigration policy would have to be governed by those factors.

The Prime Minister agreed that New Zealand should do whatever it could for war orphans. It might well say to Britain. "We have homes for some hundreds of thousands of orphan children if you care to send them," and if they were not available it might accept children ' from other countries. In selecting adult immigrants priority should he given to building operatives, so that the housing problem could be overcome once materials could be obtained. Britain would be reluctant to release building operatives, and if they could be obtained from any other country New Zealand should try to get them. Necessity for Planning "I hope it will be agreed," continued Mr. Fraser, "that to bring people and dump them here while we cannot house our own people would be entirely wrong." There was no reason why plans should not be prepared ahead, but to bring people out without being able to guarantee homes and continuity of employment would only cause trouble and arouse ill-feeling among those already here and sow the seeds of bitterness in the hearts of those who came. The planning of the country's resources must take precedence over any great influx of immigrants.

Proposals which had been made for helping mothers and increasing the size of families would receive careful consideration and the support of the Government where they were considered practical and beneficial, the Prime Minister said. He would consider, but could not promise to adopt, suggestions for the appointment of a Royal Commission and the calling of a conference of women's organisations.