IMMIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 298, 10 September 1921, Page 9

IMMIGRATION

ITS EFFECT ON UNEMPLOYMENT

THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE NO BARRIER AGAINST FELLOW-BRITONS The immigration policy of the Government was one of the matters discussed by a deputation from the'Alliance*of Labour Conference in an interview with the Acting-Prime Minister and other members of the Government yesterday. The speakers suggested that unemployment was being caused by the arrival of immigrants from Britain. Sir Francis Bell, in reply, stated emphatically that he was not prepared, as a member of the Government, to say ' that the shores of New .Zealand were closed to our kith and kin' from the Mother Country. He 1 stated again that immigration was being limited. ✓ , Mr. M. J. Mack, president of the Alliance of Labour, in introducing the deputation, said that unemployment was severe in New Zealand, and it appeared to be in about the same ratio as immigration. The Government, by bringing people to the Dominion, was assisting to create unemployment. , Mr. W. T. Young, secretary of the Federated Seamen’s Union, said Ministers had stated that every nominated immigrant entering the country had a guarantee of employment and accommodation. But he had been told of a case where the nominator had told n,n official in New Zealand that he could not guarantee the employment, and had been assured by the official that the signing of the guarantee was merely a matter of form. Sir Francis Bell: What is that mans name? -. ~, Mr. Young said ho would give the name later. Hon. W. Nosworthy: We want the name now.. Mr. Young did not give the name, and proceeded to emphasise his assertion. t Sir Francis Bell said he would not allow charges to be made in that way. He would not allow Mr. Young to use that room to make a series of statements which he had every reason to believe were incorrect. _ I Mr. Young} On second consideration, I shall not disclose the name. Sir Francis Bell: Then I ask-you not to make the statement. I don’t want this room used for the purpose of making charges against Departments and for contradicting the. statements of Ministers unless you are prepared to verify -your assertions. Mr. Young: They can be verified. They may be unpalatable. Sir Francis Bell: You must not go on in that way. You '.must, not contradict statements I have made, and then refuse to verify your assertions. Mr. Young abandoned the subject after some further argument. He proceeded to say that the deputation was ready to make suggestions to the Government, if the Government would • undertake to give effect to them. Sir Francis Bell: Will you agree to give effect to any suggestions we may make? I’

Sir Francis Bell, in the course oft his reply, said that he had been Minister in charge of immigration from 1912 until the collapse of the National Government. The system had been that persons in this country might nominate relatives and friends ini Britain for assisted passages to this country, giving a guaranteeof employment an<J accommodation, and paying the passage money at tfiis end. Many people had made such nominations during tho war years, but transport had not teen available, and hundreds upon hundreds of nominations accumulated. Most of the people who were coming , to New Zealand now had been nominated long ago, 'and the passage 'money paid for them. Had no member of the deputation ever nominated an immigrant?

Tho members of the deputation said “No” or sa’t silent. Sir Francis Bell expressed surprise. The nominations, he said, came chiefly from the workers. Tho Government had taken tho money and it could not possibly feay now that the people were not to be admitted. Mr. P. Fraser, M.P„ produced a letter sent to a person in Britain by-an officer of the'High Commissioner's Department in London. The letter stated that employment was guaranteed to accepted immigrants. - Sir Francis Bell said he had not seen the letter. He would have it inquired into. The Government was not giving assisted passages to any except British people who were guaranteed, employment and accommodation by their friends m New Zealand. The Imperial Government was paying the passage money of ex-imperial soldiers and- their families. These immigrants were Englishmen who had served tho Empire. So long as he was a member of the Go , vel ' nlne ? t -Nr?w would never say that the shores of New Zealand were closed to Englishmen. Members of the deputation: Me do not suggest that. , , , Sir Francis Bell: I aril very glad to hear vou say that. I accept it with the' greatest possible pleasure and 1 apologise if I have attributed to you a meaning different to what I gather you meant. ... i 'Mr Mack: The deputation has no objection -to half of England coming here providing that when they arrive there is employment for-them and houses fo them to'sleep in. (Hear hear.) Sir Francis Bell repeated that the Imperial Governn’ient paid the passages ot the ex-service, men, under a sch-i-m? for tho distribution of these men over the lands of the Empire. The 'Now Government had nothing to do With these immigrants, except that it had requested the Imperial authorities to limit tlu-ir number at tho present time. Jhe Government had no more right to prohibit their coming to the Dominion than it had to deport the members ot the deputation.. . r n Mr. Mack: Yon’ have power to tell them the’ truth about conditions n<-re. Sir Francis 801 l said the immigrants were finding work. Tho statement of the deputation had been that they were displacing other workers. Mr. Mack: We can prove it. Sir Fraticis Bell: Do you think the British emigrant would stop nt home if we told him that he was going to displace someym? else? . Mr. Mack: We want you to tell him that there is unemployment, hero and that the shortage of houses is acute. Sir Francis Bell: That is quite reasonable. But I nm not going to tell-the man who lias work and accommodation provided for him that there is no work and no accommodation. . . • These people have an absolute right to como here. Some of these -immigrants are tho wives and children of people who ane here already. Sir Francis Bell added that ho liad done his test to explain the position. Mr. Massey would be back in atent three week's and would be able to speak with more authority.