ALIEN INFLUX

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 March 1941, Page 4

ALIEN INFLUX

OFFICIAL STATISTICS. Some indication of the influx of enemy aliens and other European migrants into New Zealand in recent years is given by official figures compiled by the Government Census and Statistics Department and published in the statistical report on population and buldings for 1939-40. Of some 1500 foreigners who came to settle in New Zealand in the twelve-month surveyed by the report, more than 400 were of German or Austrian nationality. An introductory note remarks that an outstanding feature of external migration in the period was the arrival of a large number of immigrants of foreign nationality who intended permanent residence in New Zealand. The unsettled state of Europe and the treatment of certain racial minorities , resulted in the migration of numbers of people to countries where they were not subject to such conditions. A considerable number of these refugees had arrived in New Zealand in recent years, but it was impossible .to distinguish between them and other immigrants. Indeed, comparison of the numbers of .European immigrants in that and the preceding year with the average of arrivals of the same nationalities in the five previous years shows that enormous increases took place after the annexation of Austria, and again after the annexation of Czechoslovakia, by Germany. Indeed, the progress of the Nazi Reich appears to have been reflected in successive waves of fugitives washing up even on the shores of this remote Dominion. 1

Up to March, 1938, the yearly average of foreign immigrants arriving in New Zealand from all countries of the world was only 252. In 1938-39 it increased to 746, and in 1939-40 to 1559. No statistics for the year which has since elapsed are yet available; but presumably the influx has continued, to some extent at least. Whereas formerly only 37 Germans and Austrians arrived in New Zealand yearly to seek a home here, in 1938-39 251 arrived, and in 1930-40 there were 423.

Since January 1, 1933, at least 859 enemy aliens of German race have arrived in New Zealand. Nearly 700 of them have arrived within the past three years. Even allowing for a greatly reduced rate of immigration in the past twelve months, there must be fully 1000 Germans of comparatively recent arrival dwelling in the Dominion.

NOT SO MANY ITALIANS. Italian migrants have not been nearly as numerous. Last year’s tally did not exceed the normal yearly average of 16 immigrants. The year before there were 29.

All other European migrants show similar increases in numbers. Most notable is the Czech invasion. From a yearly average of one newcomer, increased to three in 1938-39, the arrivals from Czechoslovakia soared to 102 in 1939-40. Yugoslavs, who average 58 arrivals yearly over a period of years, numbered 173 in 1938-39 and 85 last year. Hungarians, who had a previous average of one arrival annually, numbered 45 last year. Other immigrants last year—that is, in the twelve-month ended March 31, 1940—

were 4 Norwegians, 23 Danes, 29 Poles, 39 Swiss, 16 Dutchmen, 1 Belgian, the first for seven years, 10 Frenchmen, and 38 Americans. Of Asiatic immigrants, there were six Japanese and 680 Chinese. This large number of Chinese was an astonishing increase on former averages. The previous year’s figure was 127, and the average before that 41 yearly. Presumably the increase was a result of the Sino-Japanese war. About 96 per cent., however, were admitted only on temporary permits, or were Chinese residents of the Dominion returning from long absence abroad.

More than half the foreign immigrants, were women. This applied particularly to those from Germany and Y ugosla via.