Immigration Changes ‘Not Put To Council’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 1

Immigration Changes ‘Not Put To Council’

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 10. T|ie Immigration Council, which advises the Immigration Minister on policy, had not met for two years, Mr J. R. Gaynor, the Associated Chambers of Commerce representative on the advisory council, said tonight.

“One reads with considerable surprise the announcement made by the Minister of Immigration (Mr Marshall) regarding the extension, such as it is, that has been made to the Government immigration scheme," he said. “This announcement had no origin in the Immigration Council, which has not met for two years.

“At its last meeting attention was focused on the need for research so that the council would be able to look at the longer-range issues involved in immigration policy. “This would- have done much to overcome the hand-to-mouth, stop-start adjustments made from time to time in New Zealand immigration policy, and could well have led to a calculated programme divorced from inflationary and other aspects.” He said the council was to have been called together a few months after the meeting to discuss this approach in greater detail but no meeting was called then, or since. “The National Development Conference recommendations were put forward on the understanding that there was going to be an adequate labour force available,” he said. “That assumption has not been borne out “And now here we are still tinkering with the situation instead of getting down to the subject on the basis put forward at the advisory council meeting in 1967. “It is to be hoped that the Minister will call the council together without any more delay.”