IMMIGRATION POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18101, 27 May 1922, Page 9

IMMIGRATION POLICY.

MINISTER AND CRITICS. AMPLE SAFEGUARDS MADE. HIGH PHYSICAL STANDARD. LEY TKLEOHAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION*.] WELLINGTON. Friday " The Government's immigration policy has been to restrict operations rigidly to what arj termed 'open nominations' and 'applied passages,' " stated the Hon. W.. Nosworthy in the course of an interview to-day. "By the former is meant that any permanent resident of the Dominion may by right nominate any person or persons living in tho United Kingdom for an assisted passage under the regulations governing such passages and at the ruling rates. Under 'applied passages' come those intending immigrants who are artisans, bricklayers, carpenters, fitters, farm labourers, and domestics, and wlio are approved after application to tho High Commissioner.

" At present owing to the existing com mercial, industrial, and financial conditions and the consequent absence of employment offering all 'applied passages' have been temporarily suspended except as regards domestic servants. Sincc the immigration policy was widened in 1920 from the 'restricted' to the 'open nomination' system several employers have taken advantage of the opportunities offered and tho immigrants have been immediately absorbed in occupations proStablo to them and have become a pernuinent economic asset to the country.

" Briefly stated the exact position today is that practically nemo but nominated immigrants arc being accepted by the High Commissioner, and under the requirements cf this scheme the nominator must sign an undertaking to provide employment and make provision for the maintenance of the person nominated. In 99 per cent, of the cases of this class the undertaking has been carried out to the satisfaction of the department. " The medical examination of all applicants is most stringent, and there is a rigid enforcement of the departmental regulations as follows:—'Unhealthy persons should not be nominated, as passages at reduced rates will not be granted to them. When cases of lung, chest, or similar complaints are discovered in any member of a family by the medical officer at London or Liverpool the whole family will be prevented from sailing.' Several comments have lately been made by persons or on behalf of organisations regarding the physique and suitability of some of the immigrants who have been arriving. It has also been said that the new arrivals in many instances have had no homes or accommodation to which to proceed; also that 50 Government assisted immigrants had recently applied to the steward od the lonic to be allowed to work their passages back to England. " I wish," said the Minister, " to give these statements the most emphatic denial and challenge those responsible for them to prove them. There is absolutely no f round for the complaints. The Underecretary foosr s Immigration, who has Been present at the medical inspection by the Government health officers in New Zealand of all immigrants on sill ships on arrival during the last three years has no hesitation in stating that far from being of poor physique and medically unfit tlie assisted! new arrivals in every respect should prove a worthy acquisition to the Dominion's population. " So far as accommodation and employment are concerned the Immigration Department can upon application supply the name and address of tie persons to whom every Government immigrant is proceeding and the name of the employer. Th« absurdity of the statement that ,manly immigrants were returning to .Britain can Be realised when I stale tiaat no one can leave the Dominion for Britain~withont a passport, and in the case of a new arrival from overseas applying passport such application has to be enefffPsfed by the Immigration Department befor'e it is granted."