MIGRANT LABOUR

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31092, 22 June 1966, Page 9

MIGRANT LABOUR

Australia Advocated Mr M. O’Brien questioned whether assisted immigration was necessary at the monthly meeting of the council of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. He said that New Zealand manufacturers could get migrants from Australia by paying a £3O to £4O fare. His footwear company had advertised for staff in Australia and had had no difficulty getting applicants. They were not new Australians. The more Australians New Zealand could obtain the more the friendship between the countries would be cemented. Mr J. K. Dobson and the secretary of the Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr A. R. Dellow) supported Mr O’Brien. Mr Dellow said that the cost of getting Australian migrants to New Zealand was much less than getting them here under the subsidy scheme. The president of the federation (Mr J. R. Maddren) said that some New Zealand manufacturers had received very few replies to their advertisements in Australia. Mr Dobson said it was time the federation asked the Government what it wanted manufacturers to do about immigration and if the Government was going to give any assistance to get migrant workers.

The president of the association (Mr C. W. Mace) said that perhaps manufacturers could get some labour from Australia but that it would not be sufficient to meet manufacturers’ targets. *T think we must endeavour to get some from the United Kingdom.” ' Mr Dellow said that the federation’s target for assisted migrants for New Zealand was 8000 a year. He criticised the Government's assisted immigration policy as “turning the tap on, and then turning it off.”