ALIEN MIGRANTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 26, 31 December 1930, Page 7

ALIEN MIGRANTS

TOTAL BAN IN AUSTRALIA. CABINET’S DECISION. UNEMPLOYMENT THE CAUSE. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received December 31, 10.30 a.m. CANBERRA, Dec. 31. A restriction on all alien immigration until the country’s economic position improves sufficiently to warrant the lifting of the ban has been decided upon by the Federal Ministry. The Minister of Home Affairs, Mr A. Blakeley, has notified the various Governments and shipping companies interested that, because of the extraoardinary economic conditions and widespread unemployment, it is not desirable that facilities be given to immigrants to oome to Australia, either with the intention of settling here or seeking work. The Minister explained that the Government’s object was to prevent the unrestricted migration of aliens /seeking employment to the detriment of Australian workmen. Tourists and bona fide business men, of course, are not affected. BAN ON ITALIANS. GENEVA DISCUSSION LIKELY. LONDON, Dec. 29. /‘Australia may soon want all the friends she can get at Geneva,” said an Australian delegate to the League of Nations in September. _ It will not be surprising if the Italian migration incidents are a prelude to the raising of the whole question of migration at Geneva. It is believed that Signor Mussolini told Mr J. H. Scullin that a wholesale increase of population would rapidly solve Australia’s problems. The view held throughout Italy is that Australia is not justified in refusing admission to Italians, who are white men, provided that they are good, hard-working citizens. Correspondence is continually reaching Signor Mussolini from Italians in Australia about Australia paying £lO for work which is only worth £5. Signor Mussolini does not accept Mr Scullin’s case for Australia’s insistence on keeping up what the Italians regard as an extravagant standard of living. _ The immediate question is whether Italy will attempt to raise the migration issue at the League of Nations, as will probably Germany and Japan. The Dominions’ new nationhood, as defined by the Imperial Conference, may leave Australia to carry out her negotiations without British diplomatic counsels.

Sixty-six Italian migrants who arrived by the Orient liner Orford at Sydney recently were not allowed to land under the instructions of tho Federal Minister of Homo Affairs, Mr A. Blakeley. The sixty were booked for Brisbane, presumably en route to tho canefields of Northern Queensland.