SUITABLE IMMIGRANTS

Evening Star, Issue 23322, 19 July 1939, Page 3

SUITABLE IMMIGRANTS

SUBSTANTIAL INFILTRATION URGED GOVERNMENT CHARGED WITH SHILLYSHALLYING [Per Ukited Press Association'-] WELLINGTON, July |B. The council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to-night adopted . commendations regarding ininv„ ' , to be submitted to the Associated Chambers of Commerce of f c l land' for immediate representation to the Government. r The chairman of the Special Committee on Immigration (Air 1 • trick) said the junior chamber had considered the subject of Jewish immigiation, and had referred the ma 4t i +1,,. his committee, which recommended tim council to adopt the following recommendations: — “That, having regard to New Zealand’s urgent hoed for a substantially greater population for both cleveloimental and defence purposes and to tjie fact stated by Sir Samuel Hoare, the British Home Secretary that wiseljselected immigration reduces and not increases unemployment, and having regard to humanitarian considerations, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce recommends the Associated Chamueis to make immediate representations to the Government: “ (1) That a more liberal policy of immigration should be adopted forthwith. . , “ (2) That there should bo established immediately in New Zealand a co-ordinating committee, inclusive of Government officers, such committee to plan the procedure for infiltration and settlement of selected immigrants. “ (3) That the attention of the Government and the co-ordinating committee be drawn to the fact that there are now in Great Britain a large number of refugees on temporary permits in work camps and other training institutions, many of whom would make very suitable immigrants.”

Mr Pattrick said the facts in support of the arguments for the need for a greater population were, so well known as to need no reiteration. The time had come to state definitely that the Government was not squarely facing up to the position. He had said in his presidential address in March that the Government was pursuing a shillyshallying policy. He wished he could say now that this was not true, but he felt definitely that the Government was still not facing up to the position or devoting to it the importance it deserved. He felt that the Government was proceeding on the wrong assumption that immigration would increase unemployment. Mr L. M. Enting said that there had been an immense amount of loose talk about immigration in the past 10 to 15 years to his knowledge. Mr 11. H. Nimmo said he disagreed' that the Government was shilly-shally-ing, The matter had to be reduced to one of practical politics, and the recommendations only expressed a pious hope. There was no indication given of bow, immigration could be financed and immigrants absorbed into the economic life of the country. Until this could be done the council had not the right to accuse this Government, or any other, of shilly-shallying. “ The idea seems to be getting abroad that we cannot have immigration without some wonderful plan,” said Mr M. G. C. M'Caul. All that it was uecessary to do, he said, was what had been done formerly. That was to advertise New Zealand in the countries from which immigrants were desired as a suitable country to which to emigrate, and also to make it known that suitable immigrants would be granted concessions in fares. At the same time, they should be informed that they must have' a small capital to last them a few months until they secured work. There were, he added, certain harriers, the necessary medical inspection and inquiries regarding character. It was important that fare subsidies should be given only to immigrants of suitable ages. The immigration of young men and women could be undertaken in conjunction with the Y.M.C.A. the Y.W.C.A., the Salvation Army, and similar organisations. Mr R. W Bothamley suggested it would be a help if those who brought capital to the country could be given an assurance that if they did not like the country they could take their capital out again. Mr A. E. Hurley said there were 200 to. 300 Sudeten Gormans farming land in England similar to parts of Otago. Could they not well develop similar country in New Zealand? There were 40,000 to 50,000 refugees now in England on temporary permits and going through, comps, where they wore given some training in farming or other jobs for which they had aptitude. From these a wise selection could he made of suitable immigrants for New Zealand. Mr Pattrick said the committee of three set up at the conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce at. Auckland to deal with immigration had quickly realised that the task was not one for them, but one which could only be undertaken by people either possessing all the relevant facts or in a position to correlate these. If the Government was not in this position, he did not know who was. For reasons best known to itself, the Government had not done the job, and it should he called on to do so. The recommendations . were carried unanimously.