N.Z. view sought in U.K. row

Press, 29 April 1978, Page 11

N.Z. view sought in U.K. row

NZPA London New Zealand has been asked its attitude to Conservative Party proposals in Britain's continuing immigration row as part of a survey by Labour members of Parliament.

The request came in letters to 21 high commissioners and ambassadors in London from the Manifesto Group on the ruling Labour Party’s right wing.

In a move which seems likely to increase the recently diminishing immigration controversy, the group provided the diplomats with estimates of the maximum number of their nationals who would have been barred from entry and permanent residence 'ast year had the Conservative proposals been in force. The group said that the proposals would have affected more people from the United States — more than 20,000 — than from any other country. About 14,000 Australians would have been barred. 7000 New Zealanders, and 2000 Canadians.

While the proposals are generally accepted as being aimed mainly at coloured immigrants from Pakistan and the “New Commonwealth” the group said that a comparatively low 5000 immigrants from India would have been kept out. 2000 from Pakistan, and 500 from Bangladesh.