House Discusses Immigration

Press, Volume C, Issue 29623, 20 September 1961, Page 16

House Discusses Immigration

New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. Australian migrants were ■’flocking” to New Zealand as fast as planes and ships would carry them, yet the Government was only building houses for urgent cases, said Mr W A Fox (Opposition. Miramar) in the House of Representatives tonight. “Are they going to be told that the Government has reduced the housing programme?” Mr Fox asked.

Speaking in the debate on the Estimates for the Labour Department, Mr Fox said: “I can’t understand why the migration vote is doubled and the housing vote halved.” The Minister of Labour (Mr Shand), opening the debate said he was “frankly concerned” with the flow of people into the immigration office in London seeking to come to New Zealand. The staff to handle migration had been increased. “We want a steady flow,” he said. “We want people in the particular categories in which we are short.” Among these he listed sheep-farm workers.

There was desperate shortage of labour in New Zealand in some skilled trades, he said.

The increased vote for assisted immigration, from £266 496 spent last vear to an estimated £637,000 this year, was in line with Government policy to boost the programme, particularly for skilled tradesmen, said Mr Shand. hi.ooo Vacancies To an Opposition query as to why immigration was being increased when the postponing of the Maraetai No. 2 power project would put many people out of work. Mr Shand said the list survey showed 26.000 vacancies tn New Zealand.

Mr W W Freer (Opposition. Mount Albert) suggested that migrant refugee families would be the most econc deal for New Zealand Many migrants from Britain returned home, “but - .1.e refugee has nowhere to return to.” he said. “They have no intention of leaving New Zealand.”

Mr Shand said a new vote for £lO.OOO on the estimates was to bring 100 refugee families here. Only a third of the British

immigrants were assisted, he said. Many of those who had gone home had come here “under their own steam.” Mr Freer asked Mr Shand if he had given serious consideration to the immigration of Europeans from Ceylon and South Africa. There were people in those places who believed it was in their best interests to come either to New Zealand or to Australia. There were a large number of South Africans “eminently suited to New Zealand,” but unable to get direct berths to this country. They would have to fly to Britain first then get passages here. Mr Shand said South Africa would not “take kindly” to New Zealand seeking migrants there. South Africa itself was seeking Immigrants New Zealand would have to have an agreement with any country from which it hoped to draw assisted immigrants.

Screening of Refugee* Mr P. B. Allen (Government, Bay of Plenty) said any government had a responsibility towards helping refugees, provided the refugees were carefully “vetted.”

Some governments had regretted not having carefully screened the refugees they selected as migrants. Mr Shand did not agree with an Opposition suggestion that a ship be bought to carry immigrants and he said there was nothing to suggest that costs could be reduced by calling tenders for immigrant transportation The increase in private migration from Australia to New Zealand was because of tighter economic conditions in Australia, he said.

Mr A. 3. Faulkner (Opposition, Roskill) sought “some clear public statement” clarifying the reduction of the vote from the promotion of employment from £lOO.OOO to £75,000 while the vote for migration was more than doubled.

Mr J. H. George (Government. Otago Central) asked Mr Shand for assistance in bringing out women and girls suitable for domestic work.

Farmer’s wives without domestic help could not eater for the labour farmers needed to employ, he said.

Mr L. F. Sloane (Government, Hobson) and Mr H. G. R. Mason (Opposition, Waltakere) praised the qualities of the Jugoslav people and asked that they should be allowed to bring out their relatives, who would make good settlers. Mr J. M. Dees (Opposition. Otahuhu) said: “I must confess I have. not reached the bedrock foundation on which our immigration taws are framed.” He said that after endless months of promoting and presenting a case he would be told a permit could not be granted. When the case was referred to the Minister, a reply would be that the decision could not be altered. It was not possible tn find why a person living in New Zealand could not get a permit for a relative to come into New Zealand.