IMMIGRATION SCHEME

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 184, 5 July 1945, Page 5

IMMIGRATION SCHEME

QUESTION IN HOUSE. (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, July 4. Mr F. Hackett (Lab., Grey Lynn) in an urgent question asked the ActingPrime Minister (Mr Nash) if he could inform the Hoifse whether or not the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland) had the authority of the Government to state during his recent visit to England that New Zealand was planning to welcome hundreds of thousands ot British servicemen to New Zealand alter the war.

Air Hackett said it was reported in the Daily Express that Air Holland had arrived ill London as ambassador lor the plan. Mr \Y. J. Poison (Nat-., Stratford): Why not ask the Leader of the Opposition if he said that? Wouldn’t that he fairer ?

Mr Nash said he had seen the published report and had also seen the report to the Prime Aiiuisters Department that Mr Holland had said he was an ambassador for New Zealand. He did not question that as he considered ail good -New Zealanders should be ambassadors for their country when overseas, but he did not think they should criticise the Government. It was not possible for anyone on the other side of the House to announce a policy and say it was the Government’s policy. British servicemen and all other Britons who stood up to the rigours of war would be welcomed to New Zealand and encouraged to conic when they wanted to. In fact- there was no bar to any Briton at present. Mr F. \Y. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga) : There is no encouragement. Air Nash: Yes there is, in that this is the best country in the world to come to.

Mr Holland, who was given permission by the House to make a statement, said it was obvious that Mr Nash had arranged for the question to be asked so that he could make a long reply. If the member for Grey Lynn had asked him about it he would have told him what happened. While in London he had never said one word derogatory of New Zealand. He had been invited to discuss immigration and had said that there would be hundreds of thousands who would look for new homes afterytlie war and there would be openings in New Zealand for those who wished to come here. The Government had no assisted immigration scheme at all and he thought he had expressed the desire of the people of New Zealand when he said lie hoped thousands of British servicemen would come and make their homes here.