IMMIGRATION QUESTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11250, 30 June 1922, Page 6

IMMIGRATION QUESTION

AID BY SOCIAL WELFARE GOVERNMENT POLICY BLAMED AT BOARD MEETING. YESTERDAY’S DISCUSSION. At the meeting of the AYellington Hospital Board yesterday, the Rev. Dr J. K. Elliott asked how many cases of relief referred to immigrants. He' had had many immigrants coming to him raying they wore brought out here because there was plenty of work, and tiniy oould get nothing to do. It was heartbreaking to see them. Mr G. Petherick, chairman of the social welfare committee, iioiutcd out that in the returns submitted to the board there were 2f> applicants who had resided in the Dominion for six months or less; cloven for twelve months or loss; and ten for under two years. Many of them wore led to como to 'New Zealand thinking they would get work. It was possible that not all eases came before the committee'. IMr G. M. Luke said the board might congratulate itself that there were so few cases of the kind. Possibly there were some who would not go to the social welfare committee. In face of what one heard and what they saw in the papers it was gratifying to know that only 47 had found it necessary to apply. He was agreeably surprised. THEMSELVES TO BLAME. Mr Bxitler expressed the hope that it was no!/ intended as a reflection on the Government when it was said they were brought out here expecting to get work. The majority had only themselves to blame for the position in which they found themselves. In the case of one man whom ho knew, the Government found him no less than three jobs in different parts of the conntrv, and he turned them all in without giving a satisfactory reason. Now ho probably walked up and down the wharf slandering the Government and saying the Government induced him to come out here. There were others who did not com© out under the auspices of the Government in any eh ape or form. The cases of tire immigrants had been handsomely treated by the Government, which had gone to a great deal of trouble to place them. They did not settle down to the conditions, and then blamed the Government for it. NO BEDCLOTHES. There were families where the children had practically no bedclothes at all. There were very bad cases of distress in the community, and many of these men and women were not letting their needs be known so far as the Charitable Aid Board was concerned. They kept their wants inside. The board hoped the Government would find work of a substantial nature for these men, and the board would cooperate by providing what work it could, including tho making of the plaviftg area. As far as tho board’s applicants were concerned there was no reflection on the Government. WISHED THEY HADN’T COME. Mr C. H. Chapman retorted that if the Government could not be blamed who were they to blame ? There was not the slightest doubt that owing to the publicity given by the Government with regard to the alleged conditions in New Zealand, a larger number of people had come to tho Dominion than would otherwise have been the case. He had interviewed some of til© immigrants, and many of them wished to God they had not come. One man had never known what it was to be out of work in England, and now he was getting his share of unemployment in a lump. These cases could be considerably multiplied. The Govei nment’s immigration policy had mad© unemployment much worse in Now Zealand, for they had discharged men from jobs to provide work for immigrants. (Voices: Oh!) Private employers were also to blame, for lio knew a firm in Wellington which had brought ten men out from England under contract for a year’s work. Immediately they arrived,, men who had held down their jobs during the war or for two or three years were discharged in order that the firm’s agreement made in Great Britain—could bo honoured by them. At the end of tho twelve months’ contract they wore discharged, and the society he (the speaker) was connected with was paying one of tho men a weekly sum to keep him going. The whole system of immigration took no cognisance of tho conditions in New Zealand. TO DEPRESS WAGES. The speaker continued that immigration was only used to depress wages, which was the only justification he could see for it, and as a result the board found the grants for assistance were 50 per oent. higher than for the last two years. Mr E. Vine said tho small number of applications seemed to show that the majority had settled down to the conditions. They knew- that the Government had boon persistent in finding jobs for immigrants from England. But he thought more credence should be given to the remarks which had come from Mr Chapman. He (the speaker) knew that immigrants had been put into jobs at the expense of men who were New Zealanders, and who had been discharged. A lot of the unemployed were not men from overseas, and men born in the Dominion, or by length of lesidence, had 1 a just claim on the available work of the country. NOT A POLITICAL BODY. Tho Revt H. Van Staveren remarked uhat they were not there as a body to slate the Government for its immigration policy. (Laughter.) They were not there as politicians, but as a liospital board. They asked for a return, which they had received, and they might congratulate themselves that the matter was not much worse than stated. Considering the number which came from Great Britain, and the few who had applied for relief from tho social welfare committee, it explained how necessary it was to bring people hero who were able and willing to work. But there were men who didn’t want work, others who had lost their work through sickness and other causes, and many through neglect of their families or through drink. Mr Glover said he would like to know how long they had been in the country when they applied for help. STORM IN A TEACUP. Mr Van Staveren: The whole thing is a. storm in a teacup. Mr Glover: The whole thing is that the immigration policy of the Government Air Va n Staveren: Leave the Govern ment out. Air Glover replied that if the policy of the Government was causing tho distress it waa the fault of the Government. Air Chapman asked if it would be to have an office for two or three houre a morning at Thorndon district to obviate the journey to the board's office 7 The chairman, replied that inquiries

had to bo made when people came, and when this had boon done relief was given for thirteen weeks in many cases, so that they only had to attend occasionally. The social welfare committee catered very well for them. Tho report of the committee was then put and adopted.