MORE PEOPLE-WHEN?

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 15, 19 January 1939, Page 10

MORE PEOPLE-WHEN?

The admission by the Prime Minister (Mr. Savage), in an interview yesterday, that the resumption of immigration to New Zealand was a major policy matter and would have to receive careful consideration before any action was taken, is satisfactory so far as it goes. But does it go far enough? So far, Mr. Savage said, the problem had not received the consideration of Cabinet. It sliould be clear to all from a

survey of the present economic position that there is ample room for a larger population in New Zealand. Mr. Savage agrees that there is a definite shortage of trained tradesmen, particularly in the building trade. There is also a shortage, just as definite, in certain industries and rural work, and the position is likely

to grow more acute with the restriction of imports; It is quite right to say that New Zealand must provide for her own people first, but it is hard to see what more could be done apart from training the untrained in that direction on a large scale just now. Continued delay in tackling the problem of immigration only enhances the difficulty of getting the right type of immigrant. The sources of supply in Britain itself are already diminishing, but there should be abundant opportunity in making a suitable selection of skilled and useful settlers from parts of Europe whose economy has been dislocated by recent events. Mr. Savage is perfectly in order in saying that a greater population in New Zealand would make New Zealand better able to defend the standards that have been built up. But what is he doing about it?