IMMIGRTION POLICY

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28013, 6 July 1956, Page 12

IMMIGRTION POLICY

CUT IN INTAKE SUPPORTED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DISCUSSION The council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce decided last evening not to urge an intake of 10,000 immigrants a year. Commenting or. the call of the Minister of Immigration (Mr J. R. Hanan) for a reduction in the intake. Mr R. H. Clark said: “We should not sacrifice long-term policy to short-term expediency.’’ His motion that the Associated Chambers of Commerce be urged to seek an intake of 10.000 immigrants next year was lost on a vote.

Mr Hanan told the Immigration Advisory Council last month, according to a letter received from the Associated Chambers of Commerce. Ihat it was the Government’s intention to meet its commitments of 5000 assisted passages, but that to carry out the policy of bringing 15,000 immigrants from all sources would involve an expenditure of £1.181.188. as against an allotment of £892.400 for the current year. The net total of immigrants in the 12 months to March 31 this year was 11.442.

The short-term effect of. immigration was inflationary, and in the past that effect had been balanced by essential works, said Mr Hanan's letter. Expenditure in 1957-58 had to be reduced to £750.000. and a temporary reduction in immigration effected.

It should be remembered that an intake of 10.000 immigrants would result in a net gain of about 8000. said the president of the chamber (Mr W. G. V. Fernie).

If the chamber insisted on a set number, said Mr M. J. Graham, an even smaller proportion of skilled tradesmen might be received. This proportion had been dropping over the last few years.

“We have to slow down our national development a little, and this move is in line with that policy,” said Mr E. P. Wills. “We should let this matter lie for another 12 months.”