PREPARE NOW

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 August 1944, Page 4

PREPARE NOW

IMMIGRATION POLICY G OVER N M ENT ST A TEM EN T EXPECTED Wellington. This Day. The expectation that a full statement on the Governments immigration policy will be made to a deputation from the Dominion Settlement As sociation which is soon to wait on the Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Eraser, was expressed by the chairman of the association. Mr A . Leigh Hunt, yesterday. The brief reference which Mr Fraser had made to immigration in his recent review of his mission abroad wan obviously not intended to be a statement of policy, said Mr Hunt, and the association, meantime, did not wish to comment on it at any length.

“We take second place to no one in our desire to do everything possible for the rehabilitation of returning servicemen.” he added, "but we are convinced that there can be no successful long term rehabilitation unless steps are taken to remove the imminent threat of a declining population. The future prosperity of civilian and serviceman alike depends on the maintenance of an adequate population. Without it both business and social services will ultimately collapse under an overwhelming taxation burden.

"While it may not be advisable to put an assisted immigration scheme into actual operation till the rehabilitation of servicemen is proceeding satisfactorily. it is obvious that, if we do not prepare the scheme now. v e will not be able to get the immigrants we want when we do want them The reconstruction of Europe will create • great demand for manpower there, hut there can be no doubt that manv people will be anxious, immediately after the war to break with old associations and make a fresh start in a new country. The time to secure them will be within a year or two of the armistice: if we delay tiff everything has settled down again we will be too late, especially as other countries have shown that they arc alive to the importance of the population question and are already far advanced with their immigration plans. “Meantime we could well proceed actively with juvenile immigration. That could not in any way militate against the rehabilitation of servicemen, as it does not involve either housing or employment. The opportunity io obtain war orphans will probably be confined to the period immediately dftcr the war. Unless we make our plans and are ready to welcome them promptly we will -be forestalled by other countries. ldsing a unique opportunity of counteracting the present ominous ageing of our population."