RESTRICTED ENTRY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 252, 7 October 1932, Page 6

RESTRICTED ENTRY

ASSISTED IMMIGRANTS

POLICY OF MINISTER.

EXPENDITURE DROP.

(By Telegraph—Special to “Tribune.”) Wellington, Oct. 6. An assurance that assisted immigrants entering New Zealand are being kept to a minimum and that for the most part only those joining families would be allowed to come out was given by the Minister of Immigration, the Hon. J. A Young, in the course of an interview to-night. His attention was drawn to an item of £14,435 in the Estimates described as passage money for immigrants. “There is nothing unusual about that,” ho said, “because it is*on a par with the amount placed on the Estimates last year. In any case, if the whole amount voted this year is spent at least half the amount will be refunded by the Imperial Government, because the New Zealand Government pays in the first instance. The amount voted will provide for no more than 300 immigrants of all classes. Last year 290 immigrants were assisted, and I give my assurance as Minister in charge that the number will not be exceeded this year. Domestic servants will not be admitted in any circumstances. The only types that will be admitted will be members of separated families, such as wives, children, young men and young women.

“The sum of £20,000 was voted under the Public Works Estimates last year as passage money for immigrants. The total cost of passage was £14,172 and recoveries amounted to £9781, so that the total cost to the Now Zealand Government was only £4391. This year’s estimate of £14,435 has been placed under the control of the Minister in charge of Immigration and is based on last year’s expenditure. Recoveries on the basis of that expend': ture are estimated to produce £BlOO, so that the cost to the New Zealand Government this year if the whole vote is spent is estimated at £6335. “How much of that £6335 will actually ne spent depends on the number of members of separatee families wno may require to be brought to New Zealand and on the number of other nominations which may oe approved. The position to date is that if no more nominations are approved other than those already agreed to the total cost to the New Zealand Govern ment will be approximately £l5OO for the present financial year. It has now been definitely laid down that no new nominations can be made without the consent of the Minister, and I will give that consent only in cases where it can bo shown that a definite undertaking to give assistance has already been entered into.”