ASIATIC IMMIGRATION,

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18103, 11 February 1922, Page 10

ASIATIC IMMIGRATION,

LIMITATION OF NUMBERS.

WORKING OF NEW ACT.

COMPLETE SUCCESS CLAIMED

[BT TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday.

A statement • regarding tho admission of Asiatics under the present Immigration Law was made in the House today by the Minister for Internal Affairs, Uon. W. Downie Stewart, in replying to a question by Mr. G, Mitchell (Wellington South). The question was whether any definite limit has been set on tho number of Chinese and Indians admitted eacli year.

The Minister said a return prepared for the House showed that this Act was working very successfully. Hi s own opinion was that it would be copiod all over the British, Empire, because it wan tho most ingepious that could be devised. So far as the admission of female Asiatics was concerned, it would bo realised that the question was one of considerable difficulty. If many wero allowed in, colonies of them might be established, while if they were excluded very undesirable conditions might bo established. The attempt had been made to steer a middle course. Where it could be shown that it Was right for the wifo of a Chinese resident to be admitted she was allowed to come in. Not a great, number had been so admitted. Tho total number of Asiatics to bo admitted could be fixed from time to time, and the endeavour_bad been to fix it by a friendly arrangement with the Consul. When the Bill was before the House the Consul had said that if the finger print system was done away with he wou'd consent to the fixing of a number to be admitted yearly. Last year thG Cabinet had fixed the number at 100. while that number had been renewed this year. That did not cover the wljole number who wished to come to this country, but was giving satisfaction in the meantime.

Figures covering Hindoos showed that some 139 had entered last year. That might appear rather a large total, but before the Act came into force a batch of about 50 or 60 had left India, and had arrived at Fiji en route for New Zealand. Their entry could not be blocked. So far as the present situation was concerned, the Government was keeping a very strict watch on tho people coming into the country. The position was under good control, and the system was working very satisfactorily.

NATURALISING ALIENS.

THE PRESENT POLICY.

SOME DIFFICULT ASPECTS.

[BK TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.]

WELLINGTON. Friday.

The Ministor for Internal Affairs, Hon. W. Downie Stewart, was asked to-day by Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) if ho would state the policy of the Government in regard to the naturalisation of aliens. He said ho knew of several who were stopped from obtaining land owing to their birth. He asked wliat was tho present position and if any moderation of it was contemplated. The Ministor said the policy of the present was that friendly aliens who had been resident for three years or more in the Dominion, and upon whom a magistrate reported favourably, could bo naturalised. There were special nationalities to whom special circumstances applied. For instanco in the case of Poles and Syrians undoubted proofs of loyalty were required. A third class presenting difficulties was that comprising late enemy aliens. In this an endeavour was | being made to follow tho British practice. The authorities there had laid it down that they would not naturalise any !of these people for the next ten years. In New Zealand, whero there wa s ovi,'dence that sons, daughters, or any near j relatives of these aliens had been serving with the British forces naturalisation was igrwifod. The question wa s complicated sometimes by tho consideration of what constituted near relativo. It might happen for instance that an alien had married a British wife who had relatives serving with the forces. Ho was hoping to have the whole matter reviewed during the recess with the hopo of avoiding anomalies.

SURPLUS WOOL PROFITS.

MORE MONEY UNLIKELY.

[bv telegraph.—special reporter.] WELLINGTON, Friday.

"The chances of our socuring any more from the surplus wool profits." said the Prime Minister in roply to a question in the House to-day, "are very remote." Nothine definite, he added," could bo said until the wool that had accumulated in England had been disposed of. If there was a credit at that time then the credit would come to New Zealand. During the recess he would maio a statement in the press.