The Press WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1970. Revised Policy On Immigration

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 12

The Press WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1970. Revised Policy On Immigration

For the last decade immigrants have been coming into New Zealand at the rate of about 24,000 a year without assistance from the New Zealand taxpayer. Last year the flow of migrants was slightly above this average, but still below the number needed to match the outflow of residents. Even without much change in the number of migrants it may now confidently be predicted that net migration—the difference between the number of arrivals in the country and the number of departures—will favour New’ Zealand in 1970. Such a return to net immigration is not sufficient to meet New Zealand’s needs. All the signs point to New Zealand’s enjoying more than full employment w’hile absorbing a considerable increase in population into the work force. The whole country will benefit from the promotion of a bigger work force: and the Government now holds the view that this increase must be stimulated notwithstanding the cost in investment and taxation to house, educate, and provide a wide range of services for new families. The eventual benefits clearly justify the initial expenditure.

Those who benefit most from an increase in population are manufacturers and all who provide goods and services for the additional families. It is not very surprising that several representatives of manufacturers have complained that the Government’s revised immigration scheme is still not liberal enough. Their complaint is not. of course, that they are not going to enjoy as large an increase in their market as they hoped for: it is that the Government still expects employers to pay something towards bringing migrants to New Zealand. The manufacturers’ spokesmen do not share the view that eventual gains justify the initial costs.

The number of migrants who come to New Zealand at the taxpayer’s expense has fallen to a trickle in the last two years. The number of migrants for whom employers have provided part of the passage money—generally about half—has been pitifully small. It is a tenable argument that, when immigrants are available, the State should ensure that any deficiency in the country’s population should be made good at the State’s expense. But the dismaying aspect of the manufacturers’ response to the increase in the Government’s subsidy on migrants’ passages is that they are not supporting their own urgent appeals for more employees by a readiness to contribute to the cost of bringing migrants to New Zealand.

Some manufacturers, apparently, would be satisfied with nothing less than a massive increase in the fully-assisted migration scheme to which employers are not required to contribute. This might not be beyond New Zealand’s means if the need were sufficiently compelling. Unfortunately, the reaction of the manufacturers’ spokesmen suggests that they do not regard the demand as very compelling after all. Yet there is ample evidence of the need for an increase in the w’ork force, especially skilled workers. If the revised scheme secures the results expected and hoped for it will strain training facilities which are barely adequate for the present population. This is a challenge that must be faced. It is part of the price that must be paid to keep the economy supplied with its most important tool—an adequate and well-trained labour force.