The Press FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1963. Britain’s Immigrants

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30211, 16 August 1963, Page 14

The Press FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1963. Britain’s Immigrants

Although the Commonwealth Immigrants Act has been in force in Britain for more than a year, it is still V»o soon to assess its longterm effects. The publication of a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit cf the effects of the Act is nevertheless timely. The implementation of the Act has, for the first time, made available many statistics not previously collected. Of particular interest to New Zealand readers are the estimates of New Zealand migration. The Economist Intelligence Unit estimates that 23,400 of the United Kingdom's 1,081,000 immigrants from the Commonwealth and Ireland in the 17 years ended last December were from New Zealand. At first sight, this estimate of 23,400 seems g> eatly at variance with the 61,800 “New Zealand “ residents departing per- " manently for the United " Kingdom ” listed over the same period in the New Zealand Abstract of Statistics. The explanation lies in the New Zealand official definition of “ permanent departures “ persons who have been “ resident in New Zealand “for at least 12 months, “ leaving with the intention “ of not returning, or of " remaining absent for 12 “ months or more The Economist Intelligence Unit interviewed some 3000 immigrants in the course of its survey; of the New Zealanders interviewed, 83 per cent, were aged between 18 and 34, 60 per cent, gave “ desire to travel ” as their reason for leaving home, and 48 per cent, mentioned “ specific desire to see “ Britain ” as their reason foi coming to Britain. These figures were the highest percentages of any of the seven nationalities interviewed. Of the New Zealanders, 80 per cent, said they intended to leave Britain permanently, and 14 per cent, that they did nut so intend. By far the greater number of New Zealanders “departing per- " manently ” for Britain are young persons who intend to stay abroad more than 12 months but intend to return to New Zealand—and do, in fact, return. New Zealand is small in the list of sources of United Kingdom immigrants since 1946, 421,850 of whom came from the Republic of Ireland, 263,700 from the West Inches, and 150.900 from India and Pakistan. The heavy inflow of unskilled migrants from the West Indies. India, and Pakistan was the main reason for the

passing of the Act. The position of the Southern Irish is “ somewhat “ambiguous”, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. “In theory, the Act “ provides for the control “of immigration from “ Southern Ireland; in “ practice, it does not ”, Immigration from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean fell sharply after the Act came into force on July 1 last year. In the first six months of 1962 there was an estimated net inflow of 94,900 immigrants from the Commonwealth countries, excluding New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the Federation cf Rhodesia and Nyasaland; the estimated corresponding figure for the same months in 1961 was 52,520. Much ot the big inflow of immigrants into the United Kingdom in the first half of 1962 was attributable to the desire to gain entry before the Act came into force, the Economist Intelligence Unit says. In the six months ended December. 1962, the net inflow of immigrants from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Gibraltar, and Malta was 8440. “ Although a strictly “ comparable figure is not “ available for the same “period in 1961, the esti- “ mated net inflow from “ these same countries “ during that period was “7'. ,750. This figure prob- “ ably . under - estimates “ slightly the true total, “ which makes the differ-

“ ence even more striking ”. As the Economist Intelligence Unit points out, it cannot be assumed that the Act will permanently reduce the inflow of immigrants from these countries to its current low level. The estimated net inflow in the first half of 1962 was much higher than any previous level. “The “ knowledge that the Act “ was due to come into force “in July led to this “ abnormally high inflow “before the Act and, con- *' sequently, a low inflow “ afterwards ”, Later figures show an increase in immigration from the same countries in the first three months of 1963.

One of the economic conditions postulated as demanding some check on immigration—a rise in the level of unemployment in Bntain—has occurred this year. The Act is now being used to keep down the inflow of immigrants seeking work. For New Zealanders, the Act has meant mere form-filling before they leave for Britain; but very seldom ‘ has it prevented them from carrying out their plans.