IMMIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 218, 9 June 1921, Page 4

IMMIGRATION

POLICY OF RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION. "The important question of ex-Im-perial immigration and of Asiatic immigration," states the annual report of tho New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Associa. tion, “has given your association much cause for deep thought during the past year, as it forms one of the vital questions of the day. All medically fit ex-imperial soldiers are eligible to apply for an assisted passage to NewZealand; but prefereuc is now being shown to those who can prove that they are coming to assured positions, or to friends. It is being clearly pointed out to them that it is absurd to come to New Zealand, with the idea of immediately getting a job. A.s the bottom has fallen out of the labour market, owing to post-war conditions, the local Immigration Department is having a hard problem to solve in settling war comrades in positions. Among the immigrants are many welcome ortisans and miners, but even these are finding a difficulty in securing a job, owing to the general stagnation. Recently your association suggested to the Alinister in charge that, a slowing down was necessary, in view of the amount of unemployment here, and has agreed to give instructions to that effect.

“The policy of the N.Z.R.S.A. regarding ex-lmperlal soldiers is clear and defined. The N.Z.R.S.A. maintains (1) that all N.Z.E.F. men must be repatriated. and satisfied first; (2) that all South African Contingenters shall be repatriated next; and (3) that the benefits of Repatriation and D.S.S. Act be then extended to x-lmperial men. It is considered that with the present repatriation machinery considerable benefit might be conferred on these men in the future. “The Asiatic is a serious rival to returned soldiers in the fruit and vegetable trade, consequently Asiatic immigration is always in direct contact with the N.Z.R.S.A. At the Dominion Executive meeting in November, 1920, the Asiatic question was fully discussed. A method by which the population ratio between New Zealanders and Asiatic could bo kept constant, was propounded, and met with some support. The present Chinese population i? 3500. whilst that of the Hindus is 1500: total, 5000. As the population of New Zealand is at present about 1,200.000. the ratio of Asiatic population is 42 per cent, of the white population. The number of Asiatics allowed to land would ho determined by this constant ratio of the population as determined bv the census. Thus the census of 1921 showed the population to be 1,200,500: then the number of Asiatics allowed to be in New Zealand would lie 42 per cent, of 1.210,500, i.e., 5410. As there are about 5000 Asiatics here now, only 440 would be allowed to land in three years (until next census was taken).