INQUIRY ON IMMIRATION ASKED BY SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23270, 3 June 1950, Page 6

INQUIRY ON IMMIRATION ASKED BY SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 3 The setting up of a Royal Commission on immigration was suggested to (lie Government yesterday by (lie Dominion Settlement and Population Association. Leading a deputation from the association to the Minister of Immigration. Mr. \V. Sullivan, the president, Mr. A. Leigh Hunt, said that such a commission could formulate a longrange immigration policy for New Zealand after surveying all fields of employment. The Minister said (lie Government woti'd consider tin* representations, being fully aware, of the need for more people to come to the Dominion.

Mr. Hunt fold the Minister that the association was presenting the findings of a conference on immigration held last year bv 33 organisations representing nearly '250,000 people.

For the past five years, he said, there had been onlv a trickle of immigrants to the country though there were 50.000 jobs vacant. Such lack of enterprise was a reflection on the Dominion. Only one ship had been made avail A ustra 1 ian Comparison

able to bring immigrants from overseas. while Australia was employing no fewer than 28 largo liners, most of them carrying 1500 people. The association had once fostered child migration, but since this Ijad been taken over by the Immigration Department onlv 100 children had arrived.

In proposing a Rnval. Commission Mr. Hunt said that its hearings would awaken nublic awareness of' immigration possibilities. A commission survey could cover the needs of all sections of primary and secondary industries for several decades and ensure that an adequate supply of manpower was obtained to meet them. At present industries were starved of workers to the point of inefficiency and hard ship.

Another member of the deputation. I Mr. D. J. Riddiford said the incre.i<e> in manpower would’ also be an advantage in New Zealand's defence.