GOING HOME

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 11, 7 October 1927, Page 10

GOING HOME

MORE ITALIANS LEAVING ARRIVALS MAY BE FEWER An increasing number of Italians have departed from the Dominion during the last few months, states the Italian Consul (Signor Nichele Blunno), and at the same time, with the coming into force of the Fascist restrictions on emigration from Italy, a decreasing number may be expected to arrive. During the last eight months, 44 Italians left New Zealand, some for Australia, where they sought employment, the majority to return to their homeland. Some of these men were employed at Arapuni, some at Mangahao, and others were flax-cutting. “Signor Mussolini’s Government takes a view of emigration altogether different from that held previously,” said Signor Blunno yesterday. “Instructions have been issued to the various provinces and municipalities that they are to make every effort to find work for their countrymen, so as to prevent emigration, because emigration is considered to be one of the greatest evils from which Italy has suffered in the past. There are now ten millions of Italians scattered all over the world. From 19'21 to 19'25, 835,000 Italians emigrated to various parts of Europe, most of them going to France, where they have been employed in the work of reconstruction of the war-ravaged provinces. A total of 636,000 went to Ncrth and South America, principally Brazil and Argentine. Between 1920 and 1925 thousands arrived in Australia, totalling, with those already in the Commonwealth, some 21,000. And all these emigrants took money with them.

“In future, even if a permit is issued by the New Zealand Government, the consul must issue a certificate that the intending immigrant is called by a near relative (one within the third degree of relationship). Failing this, it must be shown to the consul that work for the intending immigrant is assured, and his nominator must make a declaration before the consular authority that this work will be at the union rate of wages prevailing, and that he will be entitled to all the advantages accruing to a worker through any social and liberal legislation in force in the country. (such as accident insurance). Then, if the consul is satisfied, lie will issue a certificate. Otherwise he will refuse to certify the nomination and the passport will be withheld by the Italian authorities ”