ALIENS IN NEW ZEALAND

Southland Times, Issue 25482, 30 September 1944, Page 6

ALIENS IN NEW ZEALAND

Purchase Of Land Controlled

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. The treatment of aliens was discussed in the House of Representatives today when the vote for the Justice and Prisons Department was under consideration. The Government’s policy on the purchase of land by aliens was explained by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, and the Minister of Justice, Mr Mason.

Mr M. H. Oram (Nat., Manawatu) said a case had been brought to his notice of a Chinese who had sought, permission to purchase property, but was told that if he did so he must invest £IOOD in the war loan. Mr Oram said this was unfair treatment of a friendly alien, who should either be deemed fit to purchase land unconditionally or should be refused. The Chinese had only £2OOO and on advising the Minister that he would have to get finance from the bank to enable him to make the investment asked the stipulated amount to be invested in the war loan was reduced to £5OO.

Mr J. Hodgens (Lab., Palmerston North): Are you sure this is not a fairy tale. Mr Oram said the facts of the case were in his possession from the solicitor who negotiated the transaction. Mr W. J. Polson (Nat., Stratford), referring to the matter, said he was reluctant to believe there was not some explanation of this blackmail of a friendly alien. The chairman of committees, Mr R. McKeen, requested the withdrawal of the term blackmail and Mr Polson complied. CONCERN IN COUNTRY

Mr Polson said there was a great deal of concern in the country about the number of aliens and the positions they were gaining. Mr Mason said that early in the war there was a great deal of fear and emotionalism concerning aliens and terror lest everyone of them might be a spy. No amount of assurance about the credentials of aliens would assuage that nervousness. Most careful and minute work was done over a long time to check everything which could be found concerning aliens. Mr Mason said that a few years ago there was severe criticism of the Government for not opening the doors of the Dominion more widely to refugees. Certainly the policy regarding aliens had been very cautious. Consequently their numbers today were not great. Very few were admitted before the war and none during the war, except the very few who were on their way when war was declared. Yet the agitation went on as if they had been coming in all the time during the war years. Mr Mason said the regulation governing land purchase by aliens became necessary not to injure the aliens, but to protect the people of the country as a whole. There had been only a few aliens who had attempted to buy up properties excessively. HELPING WAR EFFORT The Minister said he interpreted the regulations not to mean that an alien should not have a roof over his head, but as meaning that aliens could not buy up property all over the place. Consideration was given whether an alien was doing anything to help the war effort, although if circumstances made it impossible for him to do anything that was not held against him. If an alien who had not done everything in his power for the war effort sought to purchase land that fact was taken into consideration. The Minister said that no doubt if the war loan subscription by the Chinese suggested was too great the figures would be revised. If a man who was an Allied subject was not helping the war effort there was no reason why great excitement should be worked up over the mere fact that he was an ally. Mr Fraser said there was a strong feeling in the country that friendly aliens were getting opportunities which would contract those of the men serving overseas. If an alien did have the privilege of acquiring property was it too much to say that he should. lend some of his property to help the New Zealand forces who were protecting him?