N.Z. IMMIGRATION SCHEME IS WIDELY EXTENDED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22620, 24 April 1948, Page 6

N.Z. IMMIGRATION SCHEME IS WIDELY EXTENDED

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 23. A wide extension of the Government’s immigration scheme was announced today by the Minister of Immigration, Mr. A. McLagan. AVliilc if will still lie necessary in the meantime to restrict, the scheme to tit single persons between the ages of 20 and 35, within these limits practically all categories of essential productive and servicing; workers will now he accepted from the Lnitecl Kingdom, either for a free or an assisted passage. A nomination scheme also will be introduced immediately.

The Minister said the extended scheme had been closely examined and fully approved by the Immigration Advisory Council, which Included representatives of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, the New Zealand Federation of Labour, the R.S.A., the Rehabilitation Board and other organisations. There was no danger of a glut which could result in the displacement of New Zealanders. The Minister emphasised that it was a rigid condition that any accommodation'stated to be available did not consist of hotels, boarding-houses, or private houses acquired for the purpose of accommodating immigrants under the proposals now announced. Accommodation oltered must be accommodation already in being and already available for the purpose. People already here and patiently waiting for housing need not fear that the new scheme would embarrass them in any way. Mr. McLagan said that ex-service-mcn would receive tree passages and civilians would be. required to contribute only £lO towards the cost of a passage.

Free Passages For Ex-Servicemen Other conditions of the scheme, principally tiie contract to accept employment allocated by the department, would be continued. “Now that further shipping Is in sight, it is possible to accept a larger number of persons in a wider range of occupational categories, subject to the availability of private boarding accommodation!" said the Minister. "The Government is satisfied, from the experience gained with the drafts already here, that there is reasonable scope for the absorption of our kinsmen in private homes, more particularly in the secondary and smaller centres. “The nomination scheme is to be introduced immediately, enabling private people and employers to nominate one or more United Kingdom residents known to them, but the employers’ nominations will not be accepted where faith with the Government is broken by advertising for workers in the United Kingdom. "The only other condition of the nomination scheme will be that the nominator has or can arrange accommodation for the nominees and the department is satisfied that there is scope for their absorption.”