“CIVIS” AND IMMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18677, 5 October 1922, Page 8

“CIVIS” AND IMMIGRATION.

TO THE EDITOK Sin,— Olancing through Inst Saturday's issue,' the following- phrase in "Passing Notes" caught my eye: "Mr Munro should have been ' outside tin-kettling tlio solar eclipse." Reading back to discover its application, I found that " Civis" to«k exception to Mr Munro's expressed opinion that "the Government deliberately engineered the present unemployed problem." Not bo far off the truth as to warrant "Civis" going to all that trouble to place Mr Munro on a parallel with the uncivilised tribes of a dark country If such a charge cannot bo laid at the door of our administrators, gross incompetence is demonstrated on tlte part of those who call themselves statesmen, in so far as they could not see, in the height of a fictitious prosperity, the clouds of a coming depression; but encouraged immigration on a haphazard scale, without respect to the capacity of the country to absorb all the immigrants. If these administrators avo competent business men, let alone statesmen, they should have foreseen tho possibilities. "vVhilo exposing Mr Munro to ridicule, " Civis" <loes not say that the Farmers' Union is at the back of the matter. Tho head ond front of the Farmers' Union in North Canterbury (Mr David Jones) entered Parliament last general election. One- of tho first things he said in Parliament was: "Wo want immigrants"; despite the fact that our soldiers had already returned to fill almost every available post there was to fill. Then the inflated prices for produce led to exorbitant land deals—a formidable argument against right-of-purchase clauses, —and when the more indiscreet of our returned men saddled thcmsolvc3 with a big debt, down came.the prices. And still immigrants are coming in. The oft ropjated assertion that jobs are found for every one is all spindrift, for the exporienco which many of thorn have had in New Zealand has been tho bitterest of disappointments. By this time Mr Jones must realise that immigration has been overdone. Mr Nosworthy, narrower and more conservative, and, I think, more apathetic, is in charge of the immigration policy, and does not raise a finger to stem tho tide—l am, etc., Wokkless.