The Press TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1962. Restrictions On Immigration

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 14

The Press TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1962. Restrictions On Immigration

Many New Zealanders, hitherto unacquainted with

the Dominion’s immigration laws, may be surprised at the scope of official powers to exclude would-be settlers, and at the discretionary way in which these powers

are exercised. Replying in > Parliament to a question about the exclusion of Greeks and other nationals who are prepared to pay their own fares, the Minister of Immigration (Mr Shand) recently reaffirmed the Gov-

ernment's policy of fostering immigration by skilled workers, and of deterring others, whether or not they can finance their own transport. Thia policy entails decisions of the utmost delicacy; and the Minister, because of his statutory discretion to admit or prohibit immigrants, is constantly in danger of appearing to countenance discrimination on grounds of race, colour, or other personal reasons. New Zealand, for instance, is in no position to criticise Britain’s recently - introduced immigration barriers against Commonwealth citizens. New Zealand has its own entry permit system, which is just as likely as Britain’s to cause occasional international incidents and to exacerbate the sensibilities of Asians or Africans. When much of the world is prey to racial tensions, and minorities generally are more nervous than ever. New Zealand appears a haven ir.deed to innumerable potentially satisfactory immigrants. The problem

this sets for a populationconscious New Zealand

Government is a nice one. To maintain the traditional full employment the Government must scrutinise closely the occupational characteristics of migrant groups. To enhance the Dominion’s record of racial tolerance, the Government cannot afford to risk seeming to discriminate against coloured peoples; yet many of the w'hite migrants whom it might like best to attract (South Africans of English parentage, for example) may be averse to mingling, as ordinary New Zealanderj might mingle, in a multi-racial society. During the 1961-62 financial year the intake of unassisted migrants increased by 10.000 compared with the previous year, to reach the encouraging total of 29.200. While the Government pursues its policy of limiting assisted immigration, more than usual dependence must be put on unassisted migrants

to swell the Dominion’s permanent population. At this stage, however, statistics of assisted immigration in the Labour Department's latest report are a salutary reminder of the value of the assistance scheme. Since 1946 about 52,000 British and 6000 Dutch settlers, 4500 displaced persons, and nearly 2000 others of various nationalities *have been helped to reach New Zealand. This represents a worth-while contribution towards the Dominion’s future prosperity and security. Jhe damage done to New Zealand's reputation overseas by injudicious application of the immigration laws is always disproportionate to the real harm caused to the parties most concerned. An example was the strict time limit on the entry permit for W. Boston, the only coloured member of the touring British Rugby League team. The Immigration Restriction Act (as amended in 1961) provides that “ no person other “ than a New Zealand citi“zen shall [except as the “Act specifies! enter into “ New Zealand unless he is “in possession of a per- “ mit . . . Visitors entering the country "only for “ purposes of business. “ pleasure, or health ”, and intending to leave New Zealand within six months, may be granted temporary permits by Customs officers. “ A permit under this sec- “ tion ”, says the Act, “ may "be granted for a period “of six months or for such “shorter period as the “Minister [of Immigration] “ may determine ”, The complaint about the treatment of Mr Boston—which was not pressed by the footballer himself—was not the only recent instance of apparent inhospitality to coloured people. Three months ago New Zealand Government restrictions intended to prevent the recruitment in the United States of teachers other than those “ wholly of “ European stock ” caused an outcry among New Zealand educationists. To their credit, both the Minister of Immigration (in Mr Boston’s case) and the Education Department (in the case of the American teachers) quickly made amends: but nothing overcomes the fact that New Zealand can—and sometimes does—invoke sanctions against would-be immigrants and visitors about whom the authorities may have only the vaguest and least justifiable reservations.