Immigration Attitude Criticised

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30120, 2 May 1963, Page 14

Immigration Attitude Criticised

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 1. “Mr Walsh’s attempt at a major explosion on the subject of immigrants flooding this country at the expense of jobs for New Zealanders has turned into a very small cracker,” said Sir John Allum, president of the Associated Chambers of Commence, in a supplied statement today. He was referring to remarks made by Mr F. P. Walsh, in his presidential address to the Federation of Labour yesterday. , “Mr Walsh says the federation does not object «to immigration • in its proper place. When did the’ federation ever declare itself in favour of immigration, and what is the proper place of immigration in a rapidlygrowing economy in which most of us are trying to build up greater and more intensified production for. the benefit of workers, employers and old people?” Sir John Allum asked. “Whenever the federation says anything about assisted immigration, it is to scream against the present trickle, which compares poorly with figures for preceding years

“In other words, the federation is not interested in increasing our labour, force

to do the essential jobs in this country that are waiting to be done for lack of labour. “Mr Walsh quotes certain official tables showing the number of immigrants coming into the country and the number of New Zealanders returning. “He uses the aggregate of these to terrify, as if a great wash of unemployment is going to sweep over the country. It is what he leaves out that is so very important.

“His figures of immigrants consist predominantly of people completely unassisted coming here under their own steam and not with Government'financial help.

“His reference to New Zealanders returning embraces many non-workers. such as elderly people and others taking holidays and who do not constitute part of New Zealand’s labour force.

“The highly important counter-figure which he

omits with most extraordinary carelessness is the number of New Zealand residents permanently departing for Overseas and this knocks a nasty hole in his argument about so many additions to the labour force. “The facts are that New Zealand’s assisted immigration programme has been heavily reduced, ft should be restored to a much greater figure. “There continue to be serious labour shortages adversely affecting New Zealand industry. “The number of dis-

engaged persons Is shown in returns by the Government Statistician to have steadily declined over a long period of months so it is no use Mr Walsh putting up his alarmist talk to make honest workers feel insecure.

“We can take many more assisted immigrants into this country without imperilling jobs. “Mr Walsh will have to produce better arguments than he has done to date.”