Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JULY 12. 1920. A WHITE NEW ZEALAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 12 July 1920, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, JULY 12. 1920. A WHITE NEW ZEALAND

/I ["DOING by the more or loss desultory discussion on the alien immigration question at its last meeting. the subject is certainly not one of idle Oily Council’s strong points. This is a matter that vitally affects Sow >'Valand’s future. The fundamental issue is whether the Dominion is to remain white nr whether it is to lie handed over, say, to trie Chinese. With mi.restricted immigration in dO years the coloured races would preponderate and in a century the white man would ho hut a memory. We cast no aspersion on The Chinese, the .Japanese and most certainly not on the Hindoos, partners in the British Empire who have manfully borne their part in defeating the firm. Our whole argument is, of course, a tribute to those races, lint ibis is not to say that they are the superior races. If that were so they would deserve to win and eventually would do so, regardless of anything Europeans attempted to do. But tbe coloured races would win because of a lower standard of living, enabling cheaper pro* due lion and the under-selling of the European. Paying the Asiatic the ruling rates of wages would enable him the more quickly to take UP a challenging position. Supposing, for i the sake of argument, that their pro- : ~r . nce caused no consternation m La--1 hour circles, free immigration of Asiatics for the first few years would appear to be an unmixed blessing. There would be plenty of coal and various industries now hampered by short supply would tlourish. But at wnat cose?' Tn the first place, the staujdard of living as it is known to-day /would ho completely undermined. Being efficient and industrious the Asiar tic would win unless the Europeans adopted [ho Asiatic standard of living, sacrificing all that has taken Years to achieve. While Labour's position would he xlve first to he assailed, that of the* rest of the community would be undermined also. Restrictive legislation would give endless trouble and invidious distinctions would cause friction between the nations concerned. The only sane course is to take the bull by the horns and restrict immigration, at the same time explaining very fully and ' very courteously the reasons why the drastic step lias to be taken. No people can' be expected to do that which must ;eventually mean their extinction.