IMMIGRATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14915, 10 February 1909, Page 7

IMMIGRATION.

A TRADES COUNCIL’S COMPLAINT. DEPUTATION TO THE HON G. FOWLDS. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 9. Tho Trades and Labour Counoil tonight waited on the Hon G. Fowlds, Minister for Immigration, to protest against a continuance of the present system of assisted immigration. It was pointed out that unemployment was general throughout the. dominion, and prospects for the coming winter were bad, hence the arrival of people from abroad was an embarrassment to tho workers and the country gener-, ally. Mr Fowlds, in reply, said a country with Now Zealand’s possibilities should be able to absorb a fair number of people under normal conditions. It was wrong for the Government to add to an overstocked labour market, however, by paying for assisted immigration, and where it was evident this was the result it would bo ended. Tho demand for domestic servants was great and unsatisfied, and some time ago the High Commissioner was instructed that only domestic servants and agricultural labourers should bo assisted. Of the immigrants arriving, only about one-third wero assisted. Last year out of 6529 arrivals only 1997 were approved by tho High Commissioner and 1103 obtained assisted passages on the nomination of friends in the dominion. Certain shipping agents had been making statements which were unwarranted and it was difficult to know how this was to be dealt with. It might, however, bo possible for the Government to minimise the misrepresentations of somo shipping agents. Anything that could he dono to stop adding to an overstocked labour market would be done. Tlie Government, however, could not advertise all over the I cited Kingdom that there was no room in New Zealand, and it was not wise for an individual or a nation to cry “stinking fish ” in that way. The High Commissioner would give a clear statement of tho different industries as revealed by tlio figures of the Labour Department. Regarding the cutting up of land for settlors, the Minister said the Government was doing as much as possible, and ho pointed out that thero was plenty of good land in Auckland to bo had. for the asking.