The Press THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1947. Immigration

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25244, 24 July 1947, Page 6

The Press THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1947. Immigration

I The conference on population held jin Wellington on Tuesday at the •' instappe of the Dominion Settlement Association strayed sadly from its purpose when it made a resolution on housing the first to be conveyed to the Government. In doing so it admitted defeat before the fight was begun. The Government has maintained that the housing shortage in New Zealand must be relieved before migrants are admitted in numbers. It should have been the object of the conference to convince the Government that this is a timorous, shortsighted, and dangerous policy. It could have shown that other Dominions, no more desperately in need of population than New Zealand and certainly no better off for housing, have seen their problems in truer proportion. The president of the Dominion Settlement Association (Mr A. Leigh Hunt) claimed that 90 per cent, of New Zealand’s internal difficulties, discomforts, and shortcomings are directly attributable to inadequate population. The broad truth of this statement cannot be denied. It applies equally to the present difficulties of the other Dominions. Canada, South Africa, and Australia have recognised it; ahd they have taken the appropriate measures, early and vigorously. The conference could have shown that these Dominions, foreseeing the postwar shortage of manpower, laid plans for large-scale immigration years before the New Zealand Governpieqt aven thought pf aetipg. It could have shown that immigrants are now pouring into Canada, South Africa, and Australia in their thousands, the advance guards of tens of thousands to follow; in the next few years. It could- have shown that in New Zealand, as in these other countries, a temporary strain on housing resources is a small price to -pay for relief in so many other directions—including the production of materials which could speed the k.gging housing programme. It could have shown that what these countries have done to provide temporary housing fc’* their new citizens is equally possible here. It could, in short, have shown that difficulties which other Dominions have overcome can and must be overcome by New Zealand. The conference might also have given some attention to the New Zealand Governipent’s second line of defence against those who would prod it into action on immigration—the scarcity of shipping. shippipg is scarce; but other Dominions have chartered troopships, immigrant ships, and even airliners to bring them the workers they need- Shortage of shipping has merely limited their intake of immigrants; it has not prevented large immigration. Australia wanted 35,000 immigrants this year; it had to be content with the prospect of about 7000. South Africa wanted 15,000: its two immigrant ships will be able to bring in only about 10,000. The Ontario Government, supplementing the Canadian Government’s already extensive immigration plans, will bring 7000 from Britain by air between August and October. The Australian Government, which sent its Minister of Immigration abroad to establish immigration offices in India and in several European countries as well as in Britain, is reported to have received through him an offer from an American aviation company to fly 1000 immigrants a month from the United Kingdom to Australia. Beside these purposeful activities New Zealand’s “ plan ” for “up to ” 1500 immigrants, selected from narrow vocQ|ional categories, in 1947. and for 3500 and 4800 respectively in the next two years, is pitifully inadequate. If the New Zealand Government has, in- fact, left i f s bid for shipping too late, it would be well advised tv, consider air transport for some of the workers required in key industries. The Wellington conference usefully devoted attention to other aspects of the population problem in New Zealand.. Its appeal to the Government to allow the broadcasting of information, on population questions should be pressed vigorously in view of the statement made at the conference that similar efforts over the last four years have been unsuccessful. “There is still a dead weight of prejudice, shortsightedness, and selfishness on the subject of immigration and it will be overcome only if public opinion is intelligently guided. The conference also interested itself in the possibility of encouraging juvenile immigration. TJiis should certainly be part of fb? Dominion’s long-term policy. The main need, however, is to convince the Government thqt more vigorous action must be taken now. before it is too late. Other Dominions, and foreign countries. are drawing heavily and selectively upon the reserves of manpower available for migration; the reserves are not unlimited.