POPULATION NEED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23085, 9 July 1938, Page 16

POPULATION NEED

PEOPLING EMPTY SPACES admission of aliens SIR ANDREW RUSSELL'S VIEWS [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] HASTINGS. Friday "I consider that it is quite out of the question to think we can exclude fit and proper immigrants to Australia and New Zealand for ever, and 1 say we must face up to the position and do so as quickly as possible," said Sir Andrew Russell, at a meeting of th« Hastings Rotary Club in speaking op immigration.

AY hen visiting Australia recently, Sir Andrew said that he made inquiries in various parts of the Commonwealth, and in a particular part wlieie inigation schemes were very prominent there were complaints made that there were too many Italians coming into the country. The objection was that they wore buying out Australian settlers, for they lived cheaper, worked longer hours and worked harder. They knew more about irrigation than the Australian settlers, for in their homeland they had studied close settlement. In another area, where the dairy industry was paramount, there was a similar complaint among the men on returned soldiers' settlements. With their lower standard of living the Italians were acquiring a foothold. "We in New Zealand represent one of the outposts of the British Empire, and Australia is another, and, if we are to hold on to what we have, then we will have to till up our country, if nut with our own people or from the motherland, then from European coun tries," said Sir Andrew. "We must do it and wo must make up our minds about it too. Also, we must make them welcome to this country and give up any idea of class and racial feeling. Wo must not growl it they work harder than we do. Rather, wo must work harder ourselves, and strive to beat them at working harder."