PROPERTY OF ALIENS

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1946, Page 3

PROPERTY OF ALIENS

CONFISCATION REMIT REJECTED U.S.A. DISCUSSIONS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 30. After a long debate, in which frank opinions were expressed on the alien question, the Dominion Council of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association, at the annual conference in Wellington to-day, substituted for a resolution of the 1945 conference, and a similar remit by Auckland at this conference (which amounted*to a request for the confiscation of alien property and deportation) a resolution asking for an investigation. The resolution adopted to-day was:— “That an immediate investigation be made by the Government into businesses established and property acquired by enemy aliens, including aliens naturalised since September 3, 1939, with a view to eliminating from the public mind any suggestion that the interests of former service personnel have been, are • being, or may be prejudiced, and if found to be prejudicial to the rehabilitation of discharged servicemen, ’legislation be requested to obviate the position. “That the Government having intimated some months ago that it was considering a policy in regard to enemy aliens, an urgent request be made for an announcement of that policy.”

The Auckland remit, which was referred to open council for discussion by a sub-committee, and which was replaced with the mover’s permission with the above resolution, read: “That remit 54, passed at the Dominion council meeting of 1945, be reaffirmed. That resolution is as follows: 'any person or persons who arrived in New Zealand from Germany, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Japan, or Italy since January 1, 1939, must return to their own countries within two years after hostilities cease with 'Germany, and that they be allowed to take out of New Zealand the same amount of money or property, or both, that they declared to the Customs Department when entering New Zealand, any further money or property that they may possess to be sold, and the proceeds to be handed to the New Zealand Government for distribution among the poor of deceased service personnel who fought to free their respective countries while they (the aliens) enjoyed peace and plenty in New Zealond.’ ” Auckland Purchases

The Auckland remit was not an attempt at anti-semitism, said Mr. A. D. Gunn (Auckland). An alien had bought a store and post office at a beach near Wellington. The speaker had been informed by a Post Office official that when applying for a permit to run the post office this alien could hardly speak English. The alien also owned three stores in a Wellington suburb.

A telegram from Auckland referred to a German refugee who bought a store from a man who was going overseas, acquired three others and tried to obtain another. Another refugee and his wife owned four properties worth £5OOO, and the husband had a taxi licence which he refused to transfer to a returned soldier. Another refugee concern in Auckland had purchased the whole of a city building. In all, since 1942, 514 applications had been received from aliens in Auckland to purchase property, of which 406 had been granted. Among these were 65 farm properties valued al £152,517, 275 house properties valued at £312,556, and 65 business properties valued at £114,773. In the period 1942-46 they had purchased in all £579,846 worth of properties.

Caution Urged. The Rev. K. S. Leggitt (Opotiki) urged cure. He formed the impression at ’the sub-committee meeting that most of its members thought differently from the remit. New Zealand had offered asylum to persons who had resisted those ideologists, but now the remit proposed that they should be kicked out. Mr. J. I. Goldsmith, a member ol the Dominion executive, said that reliable but unofficial figures had showed that there were 1018 adult refugees admitted to New Zealand since 1934. Of these roughly half were Germans, 247 Austrians, 122 Czechs, and the rest mainly Poles and Hungarians. Of them all, 592 were engaged in fulltime occupations, a great majority earning under £5OO a year, and 251 were married women. He believed 38 refugees had set up businesses or industries which employed something like 320 New Zealanders, seven of the industries being new to the Dominion. Mr. J. D. Gerard (Whangarei) said the remit would be a grievous thing if carried for those it affected, but it would be much more serious for the New Zealand Returned Services Association. Mr. C. Miln, a member of the Dominion executive committee, and chairman of the sub-committee which first considered the remit, said rhe evidence contained in the telegram failed to show where the activities referred to interfered with the rehabilitation of returned men. The aggregate value of the property acquired was less than 1 per cent, of the total, acreage and value of the properties transferred in the particular period.

Not Aimed at Jews

Mr. Gunn, in reply, said it was a great pity that the Jewish issue had been raised. It might be that 85 percent. of aliens were Jews, but the remit was not aimed at them as such. It was an attempt to combat a largely growing group which was taking control. Mr. C. O. Bell, chairman of the conference, read a letter from Federated Farmers asking that the Dominion executive of the Returned Services Association co-operate with its Dominion executive in requesting the Government to prohibit further land purchases by aliens until rehabilitation had been completed. The federation stated that aliens had been permitted to acquire 65 farms between 1942 and 1946. There were few dissentients to the amendment to the Auckland remit. This amendment was moved by Mr. Miln, and with the permission of Mr. Gunn, became the motion. These remits were withdrawn: “That the absorption of aliens in businesses be so controlled as not to piej udice the complete rehabilitation, of ex-servicemen. That an investigation be set up by the Government into businesses set up and property acquired by aliens since ,1939, and a definite statement made by it as to whether returned servicemen have or have not been prejudiced by these purchases.” —

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