ALIEN IMMIGRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 16

ALIEN IMMIGRATION.

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA.

A MINISTER'S DILEMMA

The establishment of a quota for tho regulation of alien migration entering Australia was advocated by a deputation from tho British Migration Association, which waited upon tho Minister for Home and Territories, Mr. Abbot.

Mr. R. W. Hardie explained that the association .wanted to maintain the preponderence of the British race in the Commonwealth, A good deal of doubt existed in regard to the actual percentages of British and aliens in the Commonwealth. While tho association did not advocate relaxation of the stringent inspection of British migrants at present carried out, it felt that these rigorous examinations should also be extended to peoples of other races. It was well known that the health inspection of aliens was nioro or less perfunctory.

Mr. Abbot: I understand that these people are examined before they leava their villages. If we find they are not healthy, they are sent back at the expense of the shipping companies. Recent statistics had shown that tho high percentage of British migration in sisted upon by the Commonwealth Government was being maintained. In 1U27 there were 127,376 births, the British parents being 124.693 fathers and 124,223 mothers. This showed that 470 foreignborn mothers had been absorbed into British families. Of foreign-born children there had been 2682 fathers and 3153 mothers. More women were allowed to enter tho country than men, as it was felt, that they became more quickly absorbed.

" I can assure you that the number of aliens whoso applications for admission we reject every year considerably exceeds tlie number that we let in," Mr. Abbot said. "At the same time it is a very hard filing in a country with only 6,000.000 people to shut down definitely on all races except (lie British, particularly at present. when the British people arc not showing a very keen desire to migrate We cannot cut out foreign migration en lirely, as that would mean tlie establishment of regulating machinery throughout the world. We established a nuota o f 98 per cent. British, and we won't allow that to be exceeded. " Porno of those men are in possession of large sums of money," the Minister said, in replying to n reference to 1 !"»•* amount of landimr money reonired hv foreigners. "Of IFS persons who applied recently to enter this country the total assets amounted to ,C 247, r O'V Mr. TTardio: I am sure they were not sou*horn F"uropoans. Mr. TT : b'''e: What T ob'Vot to is tho treatme"t Australians and British people (ret in T'alv comnared to tb<* kind recontion we ttive to Ttnlians who come to this i'o:int>'v. are tn-o.d on ovory hand. When T was at Bome 7 Iwl to ji.iv 1s ~d extra tnr for everv n , PT nl>pr of my family each day 1 was at tho hotel.