ALIEN MIGRATION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4054, 30 May 1938, Page 3

ALIEN MIGRATION

AUSTRALIAN POLICY. The Commonwealth Government has followed the inauguration of a scheme to assist British migration with a tightening-up of the regulations governing the admission of aliens. The new policy principally aims at checking the growth of alien communities, and there will be a general closer examination preceding the issue of landing permits. Aliens who want to come to Australia will have to submit photographs of themselves and certificates of health and character. None of them will be allowed to go to the cane fields in Queensland for the Minister is satisfied that there is already ample labour in those areas. Alien migration will receive no encouragement or financial assistance. Nothing will be done to facilitate the group migration of aliens, and congregation of foreigners in particular areas will be prevented. No special facilities will be granted for the admission of groups of Jewish migrants. Since Germany occupied Austria the Minister has been asked about the position of Jewish nationals who wish to settle in Australia. His decision is that each case will be considered on its merits.

Foreigners entering- Australia will be required to give undertakings toremain in the district and to follow the occupations mentioned in their applications. If undertakings are not honoured over an experimental period, legislation providing heavy penalties for evasion will be introduced. Sugar Cane Industry. “1 have refused hundreds of applications from foreigners who wished to go to the sugar-growing areas of Queensland,” said the Minister of the Interior, Mr. McEwan, in announcing the changes “There is already ample iabour there. All aliens seeking admission to Australia must now satisfy me that there will not seek employment in the sugar-can industry. There will be no discrimination in the policy to prevent aggregation of aliens in the cane-growing and irrigation districts. They are not aimed at Italians; they will apply to all aliens. Action has been taken because there is ample labour for .the work offering on the

cane fields. Australia’s sugar export quota, under international agreement, has already been reached, and it is impossible to think of expanding the industry. Furthermore, parties in the I sugar industry have an agreement I under which 75 per cent, of the work offering is reserved for Australians. This is a powerful reason for prevent-

ing more foreigners from going to Queensland, where no more work ife available for them.” The ban on aliens going to the caneI fields will not affect dependent relatives, who will still be allowed to join their bread-winners. This class includes parents, minor children, fian- • cees, and unmarried sisters who are

not as a general rule competitors in the employment market. The Government is considering a system of registration of all aliens. Ministers claim that it is anomalous that there should be a check through electoral rolls and other records on all Australians, but none on the distribution of many aliens.