Peer’s plea on immigration

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33094, 8 December 1972, Page 2

Peer’s plea on immigration

(N.Z.P.A. Stag Correspondent) LONDON, December 7. A plea for New Zealanders to be given reciprocal rights to come and work or live in Britain if they so desire was made by a former Governor - General of New Zealand, Lord Ballantrae, during his maiden speech in the House of Lords. Lord Ballantrae, as Sir Bernard Fergusson, the New Zealand Governor - General from 1962 to 1967, said he had been “hammering” away at the immigration situation relating to New Zealanders since the 1962 Immigration Act was passed, and two days after returning to Britain in 1967 had met with the then

Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to make representations on the issue. "I’ve always been given every sympathy, but no encouragement,” said Lord Ballantrae. "One Minister told me the Government couldn’t go in for discrimination. It’s got 14 letters in it, but he made it sound like a dirty wora. Lord Ballantrae said there were a number of things for which Britain should be grateful to New Zealand, but they were things which New Zealanders could not say for themselves. "But maybe I can say them as a person with a foot in each camp,” he said. "In 1939 when Britain declared war on Germany, the then Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. Michael Joseph Savage, said ‘where Britain goes, we go.* And

during the war New Zealand imposed voluntary rationing to help feed Britain. “These are the things New Zealand will never remind us of.” Lord Ballantrae said there were New Zealanders prominent in British life—among them he mentioned the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Rev. Martin Sullivan—who could not have remained in Britain under existing immigration regulations. “It seems absurd that in New Zealand there are no restrictions on people from this country coming, and yet we discriminate against New Zealanders.” He referred to the ties which the new Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) has with Scotland, and recalled the interest Mr Kirk had shown in those ties when he visited him four years ago.

Lord Ballantrae said he felt the whole question of immigration from the Commonwealth countries such as New Zealand - had become confused.

"It has got nothing to do with colour,” he said. "What I’m saying is that people who went from this country to settle in the dominions, or whose forebears did and who still maintain allegiance to Britain, should have every right to come and work or live here.

“It might be possible to look at the 1962 act and see how it could be applied to the old Commonwealth countries,” he said. "Maybe some sort of patrial provision or maybe some reciprocal arrangements with those countries who want it could be worked out. Canada may not want, but New Zealand I’m sure will.”