Immigration

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24736, 29 November 1945, Page 4

Immigration

The prediction of the president of the Dominion Settlement and Populatidn Association (Mr A, Leigh Hunt) that if New Zealand hesitated much longer over immigration it would inevitably be left behind must be supported by everyone who thinks about the problem. Other Dominions' have not been laggard; they are moving now. Australia and Canada could both . present the same-excuse that the New Zealand Government makes for its procrastination. Their housing and rehabilitation - problems are no leas urgent than ours and are possibly more difficult. Is it that they have a greater faith in their future than we possess, or is it that they are more courageous? Nearly everyone will agree that New Zealand could support a greater population; nearly everyone would welcome it as a means of enhancing the country's ultimate prosperity. Doubts about these questions are not the drawbacks; it is merely that the Government is too preoccupied with immediate problems to look further ahead than , to-day. The Government has been said by the Prime Minister and other Ministers to be "considering" the question; but, that stock reply will no longer answer. No one in authority has given the slightest indication that if any investigation has been made of the problem or any thought expended on it. a definite plan of procedure has been adopted, or even considered. Not one of the Ministers who have been abroad, for example, has dealt with it on his return; and though many inquiries by prospective immigrants have been reported from New Zealand House, there is no evidence of any encouragement from this end. Mr Hunt has suggested that the Government should appoint "a Royal " Commission on immigration ". This is not necessary. The problems of immigration policy are such as can be attacked and solved on the departmental level. What is essential is that the departmental attack should be organised swiftly and purposefully. Large-scale immigration is not the object, in present circumstances, but small-scale, selective immigration, such as opportunity and need both recommend. To what extent and in what ways a short-run immigration policy on this scale might later be developed is another question. And that would properly be a question for a Royal Commission, not on immigration alone but on population policy in the widest sense. It should be a small commission,, and it should be authorised to travel—for instance, to Sweden. But imr&gration now is a restricted problem, well within the Government's competence to solve. Its reasons for deferring inquiry, plan, and action are quite unacceptable.