IMMIGRATION POLICIES

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28532, 11 March 1958, Page 15

IMMIGRATION POLICIES

Selection By Age Groups

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) MELBOURNE, March 10.

New Zealand’s policy of taking almost all working age migrants was discussed by Professor C. E. Carrington, a New Zealander, in the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s “Guest of Honour” programme last night. Professor Carrington is Professor of Commonwealth Relations at Chatham House, the London headquarters of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Professor Carrington said that a policy of taking almost all working age married migrants meant one new pair of hands and possibly several new mouths to feed, so the immediate result was not to add to the country’s wealth.

“As a long-term investment it’s the best you can possibly make, but it’s not a short-term investment,” he said. He said the problem was to decide how many adult workers —men and women—to take now and how many families to take with an eye to the future. Australia had given more attention to this problem and solved it more logically than the other Dominions.

Of its immigrants, 3P per cent, were of working age, and 30 per cent, young children. Canada Was taking as many as 52 per cent, of working age. Professor Carrington said Australia and New Zealand had made great use of family connexions in attracting migrants by setting up schemes for getting, established people to sponsor relatives.

Other reasons for the choice of country were contacts made during war service and rumours of prosperity. “But in these days when there is no surplus of population in Britain and there is competition to get migrants, much depends on the effort made by publicity departments in London,” Professor Carrington said.