Immigrants Act ‘Here To Stay’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30289, 15 November 1963, Page 24

Immigrants Act ‘Here To Stay’

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, November 13. The Commonwealth Immigrants Act, which took effect from July 1, 1962, will come up for renewal in the present session of Parliament and could by vote be repealed—but it is plainly here to stay, says the “Guardian’s” special reporter.

‘’One Commonwealth Primp Minister prophesied that if the measure was passed by the British Parliament the Commonwealth would never be the same again. “Now, after more than a year, in which for the first time in history, immigration of Commonwealth citizens into Britain has been controlled, that prophesy seems to be coming true,” he says. “But there is no substantial group on either side of the Commons pressing for the repeal or suspension of the Act."

The correspondent points out that the Commonwealth Governments most concerned by control of immigration are Jamaica, India and Pakistan, “and none of them have been approached to discuss the working of the Act or the possibility of substituting for its provisions some system of voluntary control. "In theory at least and on psychological grounds they will be in favour of such a substitution. As far as the practical operation of the Act is concerned and the system of issuing vouchers for those wishing to enter Britain in search of work there are few compliant®.

“Psychologically there is no doubt about the harm that has been done and is being done to the image of the Commonwealth in the eyes of many of its coloured inhabitants.” The correspondent says that frequently when immigration control is being discussed there is the conviction “that all legalities and vouchers and bland politeness of controllers add up to no more than mask for the cruel reality of a colour bar.”