Alien Immigration

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 225, 1 October 1901, Page 4

Alien Immigration

“ It'strikes me that it would be very instructive to find out how the existing State Immigration Acts have operated/' Mr Barton remarked the other day, apropos of the Alien Immigration Bill now before the Federal House of ltepresentatives, “ and I have secured a return upon the subject which is extremely interesting if you want to know the real truth of the situation. The figures show that wherever the principle of the Natal Act has been in force this class of immigration has been greatly restricted, while in the States where the laws arc not so comprehensive there has been a much larger influx of aliens. Taking the period 1890 to 1901, it has been found that in Now South Wales the total arrivals of colored aliens were 789, and the departures of Chinese alone —no record of departures of other races was kept—were 2296. In other words, throe times as many have gone away as have come in. In Victoria, where the laws have boon less restrictive than in New South Wales, the total arrivals of Chinese for the period mentioned were 8944, and the departures 2419, so that Victoria gained 1500 by this immigration. The number of other alien arrivals was 1545, and the departures 077. In all, therefore, Victoria’s excess of colored immigration has been 2898 ; 6718 South Sea Islanders have entered Queensland during the live and a-half years, and 4764 have left that State. Of Japanese 2889 have entered, and 1856 have departed, but I am bound in fairness to say that since an arrangement was made between the Queensland and the Japanese Governments regarding this matter the number of Japanese in the northern Slate has been gradually decreasing. In 1884, fer instance, the excess of Japanese emigration over immigration was 91, in 1900, 287, and for the present year 182; 4448 Chinese entered Queensland from 1896 to date, and 8214 departed, but this year alone there have been 1247 arrivals, and only 448 have left, thus showing the necr-'-Oiy for such a Bill as wc propose. The total increase by colored immigration in Queensland has been 3948, but it must be remembered that Pacific Islanders to the number of 1949 are accounted for in these ] figures. 11l South Australia proper the total arrivals of all alien races have only been 98, but no record of departures has been kept. On the other hand. 1573. of whom 800 were Chinese, entered the Northern Territory, and 1298 Chinese —left it. Colored aliens to the number of 525 arrived in Western Australia. but 896 departed, thus showing a credit balance of 871 under an Act similar to that now introduced. Tasmania, which has a mild Chinese llestriction Act, has gained in population by the arrival of 554 aliens, but, unfortunately, no record of the departures have been kept. The census returns now being prepared in that State, ■however, show that the Chinese have decreased from 943 in 1891 to 506 to-day. So that the aggregate total for the six States, so far as the official returns go, show that the arrivals have been 23.741, and the departure 18,228, or an excess of arrivals of only 5518 in a population approaching four millions, despite the lax laws of some of the States. These figures seem to me to prove that the existing Acts j in several instances have been very effee- | five, and that wo require a measure such j as that now before Parliament.'’