“NEW ZEALAND FIRST"

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1074, 11 September 1930, Page 1

“NEW ZEALAND FIRST"

DALMATIANS IN PUBLIC WORKS IN NORTH BUSINESS MEN OBJECT “It appears to us that we should first consider our own men, a.id then, should there be anything for anyone else, we should give preference to immigrants from Great Britain.” This opinion was sent to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce this morning by the Okaihau Chamber of Commerce, which alleged that most of the Public Works Department's employees in the Okaihau district were Dalmatians. Recently the Okaihau Chamber commented on the influx of foreigners to New Zealand, but the Auckland Chamber pointed out that the numbers had actually declined in recent years. The Okaihau Chamber then remarked that the problem was probably mainly local. On one road relief work in the district, Dalmatians predominated and it seemed necessary to say that New Zealanders should be given preference to foreigners. The Auckland Chamber’s executive is writing to ascertain whether these Dalmations are from the kauri gumfields, owing to the depression in tLe gum industry, or whether aye arc relatively new arrivals.