Says Friendly Alien Unfairly Treated Over Purchase Of Land

Northern Advocate, 30 September 1944, Page 4

Says Friendly Alien Unfairly Treated Over Purchase Of Land

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. This Day In ihe House of Representatives today Mr. M. H. Oram (Opp.—Manawatu) said a case Had been brought to his notice of a Chinese who had sought permission to purchase a property, told that if he did so he must invest £IOOO in the war loan. Mr. Oram said this was unfair treatment of a friendly alien, who should either be deemed fit to purchase the land unconditionally, cr should be refused. The Chinese had only £2OOO and on advising the Minister that, he would have to get re-finance from the bank to enable him to make the investment, asked that the stipulated amount to be invested in the war loan be reduced to £SOO.

Mr. J. Hodgcns (Govt. —Palmerston N.) Are you sure this is not a fairy tale.

Mr.' Oram said the facts of the ease were in his possession front the solicitor who had negotiated the transaction. Mr. Poison (Opp.—Stratford), referring to the matter, said he was reluctant to believe that there was not some explanation of this blackmail of a friendly alien. The chairman of the committees (Mr. McKeen). requested withdrawal of the term blackmail, and Mr. Poison comDlied. Mr. Poison said there was a great deal of concern in the country about the number of aliens and the positions they were gaining. Many persons high in the service of the country had suggested that “kissing goes by favour.” Opportunities For Aliens

Regarding opportunities aliens had for entering business, Mr. Poison said some of the rumours were more than rumours. Statements had been made 'to him personally by officers who believed there was a wrong which should be put right. The Hon. li. G. R. Mason said that early in the war there was a great deal of fear and emotionalism concerning aliens, and terror lest every one of them might be a spy. No amount of assurance as to the credentials of aliens would assuage that nervousness. Most careful and minute work was done over a long time to check everything which could he found concerning the aliens. Personally, he thought that the minuteness was a little excessive, but in a slate of public nervousness it was just as well to be able to say that nothing was left undone, and that could be said.

However, the war had gone on a long time now, and he thought public nervousness should have abated.

Emotionalism

Mr. Mason, instancing the sort of emotionalism he had to deal with concerning aliens, said that a certain organisation had written to him, protesting that too many aliens were being exempted from the regulations. This was maintained with inane repetition until finally he asked the organisation to name some aliens who had been exempted. The reply was to ask him (the Minister) lo tell the organisation which aliens had been exempted from the regulations so that the organisation could tell him which ones it thought ought not to have been exempted. The organisation itself admitted that it did not know the names of any aliens who had been exempted from the regulations. Mr. Mason said that it was an incredible, but true, example of the way a Minister’s time was wasted by those conducting incessant agitation. Mr. Mason said that a few years ago there was a severe criticism of the Government for not opening the doors of the Dominion more widely to refugees. Certainly the policy regarding aliens had been very cautious. Consequently,- their numbers today were not great. Very few were admitted before the war, and none during the war, except a very few who were on the way when war was declared.

Yet the agitation went on as if they had been coming in all the litqe during the war years.

Land Purchase Regulation

Mr. Mason said the regulation governing land purchase by aliens became necessary, not to injure aliens, but to protect the people of the country as a whole. There had been only a very few aliens who had attempted to buy up properties excessively. The Minister said he interpreted the regulations not to mean that an alien should nor have a roof over his head, but as meaning that they could not buy up property all over the place. Consideration was given to whether the alien was doing' anything to help the war effort, although if the circumstances made it impossible for him to do .anything, that was not held against him.

If the alien who had not done everything in his power for the war effort, sought to purchase land, that fact was taken into consideration. As far as the Chinese was concerned, they received every consideration. Numbers had been allowed to purchase land for market gardening'. Mr. Hodgens: Who determined the £1000?

Unfavourably Presented

Mr. Mason said he could not recall that amount, hut the true facts of the story which had been presented so unfavourably by Mr. Oram, were probably consistent with the policy he had outlined of expecting' aliens buying land to help the war effort. “We want to know a man is doing the best for the war effort he can,” said the Minister.

No doubt if the war loan subscription suggested was too great, the figures would he revised. If a man who was an Allied subject was not helping the war effort there was no reason why great excitement should be worked up over the more fact that he was an ally.

Mr. Mason stressed that the alien regulations were operated not lo injure aliens who would receive reasonable treatment according to the circumstances of each case, but to protet the people as a whole. Mr. Poison said the treatment to the Chinese in the instance given was undignified. Mr. T. L. Macdonald (Opp.—Mataura) asked if similar treatment applied to all refugee doctors, too. Mr. Mason replied in the affirmative.

Strong Feeling

The Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) said there was a strong feeling in the country against friendly aliens getting opportunities which would contract those of the men serving overseas. If an alien did get the privilege of acquiring property. was it too much to say that he should lend some of his property to help the New Zealand forces who was protecting him. Mr. R. M. Algie (Opp.—Remuera) said the issue was whether aliens should be allowed to buy property or not. If he was lo be allowed to buy, then there should be no conditions. If the Government, said an alien was not to be allowed to buy until our boys returned, he would support that decision. To allow aliens to buy property if they put a few pounds into the war loan did not help the boys overseas. It was merely a bad condition defeating a good principle. , The vote was passed before the debate was interrupted at 1 o’clock.