ALIEN IMMIGRATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18430, 10 July 1925, Page 11

ALIEN IMMIGRATION.

AUSTRALIA'S PROBLEM. FLOOD OF ITALIANS. («toi» one okx cooiimosbist.) SYDNEY, July 3Ever since the I'nited ftiates established its quota system of dealing with immigrants from Southern European countries last year, and so restricted tlv? numbers going to that country, the migrants from Italy. Greece. Malta, and other Mediterranean countries have directed their attention to Australia. There have been conf-idcr-cble increases ia the iSoutberu European immigrants to this country, and most of them, especially Italians, have concentrated on the North Queensland ea.nefu.kls as their centre of sett lenient. Two decades or so ago. Queensland rid herself of cheap labour on these fields by returning the Kanakas working there to their island homes. To-day she again facts the problem of cheap labour undermining the standard of Jiving of native-born and British workers.

The Australian sugar consumer has paid dearly to protect the production of sugar by white labour, because the cane-grower lias received paternal gifts from the Federal Government in the t*o-m of hi'Ji protection, bounties, embargoes, and what not. Australians, as it weiv. .suffered in silence because'they had the satisfaction of knowing that the cane was produced with properlypaid labour. Now the Italians, Greeks, Maltese, and other Southern Europeans, by working over-long hours and living '-on the smell of an oily rag," are ousting the Australian and British workers from the cane-cutting gangs. .As an instance, 87 gangs of cone-cutlers were registered by the police magistrate at Ingham thi* season, each comprising nine men, or n total of 783 men. Out of this number only seven were not foreigners. This is typical of most of the canegrowing districts. Naturally, this influx of alien immigrants has aroused the ire of the unions, particularly the Australian Workers' Union. The result is that the question. has become a national political one. and doubtless one. of the issues of tho Federal elections early next year will centre on this problem. Mr Bruce, the Nationalist Prime Minister, has endeavoured to forestall Labour's condemnation of inactivity by introducing in the House of , Iteprcsentatires a measure designed to amond the existing Immigration Act. The purpose of this Bill is twofold.—to tighten up tho laws-regarding tho nuniJbens of.alien migrants coming to these shores, and to obtain power to deport"wreckers" of industrial peace. Only tbo first section concerns the Italian influx. By this the Federal Government is given tho important power of prohibiting, either wholly or ,in excess of specified numerical limits, arid cither permanently or for a specified period the immigration tho Commonwealth of aliens of any, specified nationality, race, class,'or occupation, in any case whero it is deemed • necessary to do so on account'of the economic, industrial, or other conditions existing iit tho Commonwealth; because tho persons specified are unsuitable for admission; or because thc*y arede.cmed unlikely to become readily-assimilated or to assumo the duties and responsibilities of Australian citizenship within a reasonable time after their entry. This measure may not suit tho wholehog Labourites, probably it will not suit all. sections of the Country Party, but undoubtedly it will meet with tho approval of tho largest section of the Australian public. .