ALIEN MIGRANTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26353, 7 January 1947, Page 5

ALIEN MIGRANTS

EMBARKING FOR AUSTRALIA LARGE NUMBERS FROM EUROPE (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, Jan. 6. About 10,000 aliens, most of whom are now in displaced persons’ camps in Europe, which are admitted to' be breeding grounds of ' disease, are scheduled to come to Australia. Commonwealth authorities admitted to-day that there was no guarantee that precautions at ports of embarkation would prevent the transport of people who might bring disease to Australia. The authorities are insisting that these immigrants shall sail from non-British ports because they do not want them to take up space that could be occupied by British merchants and returning Australians. Only immigrants obviously likely to become a charge on the State are subjected to a rigorous medical examination on their arrival. The remainder are free to land if they hold a landing permit. It has been alleged that, to secure landing permits, some parents have submitted to qualified practitioners children other than their own unhealthy ones.