SERIOUS PROBLEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 11

SERIOUS PROBLEM

LACK OF HOUSING AUSTRALIAN- MIGRATION • . SCHEME By Cedric R. Mentiplay, Special Australian Correspondent, NZPA By Air Mail SYDNEY, May 3. When the Minister of Immigration, Mr A. A. Calwell, announced recently that, because of his migration schemes, the population of Australia would exceed 8,000,000 before the end of next year, many Australians added a rider of their own—“lf we can find somewhere to put them.” In a speech to caucus in 1945, Mr Calwell guaranteed that there would be no large-scale immigration until the problems of demobilisation, shipping and housing had been overcome. It can now be said that neither of the first two presents any further difficulties, but the third grows in importance as the stream of migrants thickens. On May Day Mr E. J. Ward, a powerful caucus personality, told a Sydney audience that until adequate housing had been provided the influx of migrants must be eased. The quality or-desirability of the migrants was not brought into consideration in this or a number of speeches by prominent men on the same question. They have stated simply, and with the backing of an increasing number of Australian citizens, that housing must come before immigration. Mr J. T. Lang, staunch and bitter opponent of the Australian Labour Party, has been hammering away at this point of view ever since the mass migration schemes began. With his gift of oratory, he has let no Occasion pass when he might reveal the incongruity of hostels being ,built for Baltic migrants while Australian couples wait for years in Housing Commission settlements which are nothing more than temporary camps designed to last for the duration of the war.

The Communist Party and its militant trade unions have added their voices to the outcry, but for once have not increased it appreciably. Their main lines of attack have been the usual ones of branding the newcomers, as “ Fascists, strike-breakers and" profiteers.” Some unions have banned the foreign migrants, but even this type of action is dying out. Australians admit their need for more manoower—but they cannot see how this can 'be provided in face of the de'-ne'-ate housing shortage. The Federal Government has its answers. First of all, the man-power situation in Australia has never been more serious. The Commonwealth Employment Service books at the end of March showed 114,600 vacant situations, an increase of 500 over the figures for the previous month. Up to that time 13,060 displaced persons had been employed by the service, but still the deficit grows. Secondly, the Government says that there has been no real lowering of standards because of the influx of migrants, and that the country can absorb many more before saturation point is reached. It believes that as the great majority of migrants are young people and workers, this will ultimately overcome all difficulties as well as providing a powerful reinforcement for industry. Government spokesmen point out that hostel and camp accommodation provided for unmarried migrants is not of a standard or in a locality likely to be appreciated by Australian house-hunters. Despite shortages of man-power and materials, the utmost efforts have been made to cope with the housing situation, but a short-term solution has been demonstrated to be impossible. The main reason for this is that during the war years virtually all homebuilding ceased. When war ended, Australia found herself under the , necessity of overhauling this tremendous lag as well as carrying on with post-war building.