MINER IMMIGRANTS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 6

MINER IMMIGRANTS

NOT SPECIALLY INDUCED

POSITION IN REGARD TO ASSISTED MIGRANTS.

In regard to tho warning issued to miners in England, through advice received from the secretary of the llikurangi Coalminers' Union, against migrating to New Zealand, thij Minister of Mines (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) remarked, when the cablegram was referred to him, that it was a great pity that people living in the Dominion should go out of their -way to befoul their country in such a manner." It was learned from an official source that it is not the policy of the Government to make requisition for coal-miners to come out to New Zealand unless there is a demand for more men to be procured from outside the Dominion. _ The Government is willing to requisition specially for any class of skilled labour from the Old Country, but no special inducement had been offered for miners to come to New Zealand since 1920._ As a matter of fact, the authorities in England were in communication with the New Zealand Government for some time requesting assistance for Cornish miners who were- out of employment, but the Government, after investigating the position in the mining centres, declined to accept them. ' The number of miners who had entered tho Dominion from England in the last three years was 943—397 in 1922-23, 277 in 1923-24, and 269 in 1924-25. These figures, included a proportion of gold miners. Miners were' open to come out under the ordinary immigration scheme, and were accepted as suitable immigrants, irrespective of their occupation, provided they were nominated in the required manner by any permanent resident of the Dominion.