SAFETY FIRST.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1920, Page 5

SAFETY FIRST.

DANGER Of FOREIGNERS. PRECAUTIONS ON THE WHARVES. By Telejraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives this evening Mr. Massey moved that the amendments made in the War Regulations Continuance Bill by the Legislative Council be agreed to. He said there was only one important amendment, which provided' that no one but a British subject should take part in the loading and unloading of a ship unless he first obtained a permit from the superintendent of police. The police had asked for this provision, as it wis necesasry to provide efficient control of the water-fronts. At. P.-Eraser (Wellington Central) objected to the provision, because he did not consider the Premier's explanation as to the need for the clause was sufficiently explicit. He wanted to know exactly what was in the mind of the police. What did they fear? Was it the safety of ships, was it pilfering, or was it industrial trouble?., Mr. Massey said pilfering was one of the things behind the clause, but it had nothing to do with industrial trouble. WHQ.ipLES? Continuing, Mr/fflflrer said a large number of -foreigner?^ whose work lay on the wharves suffered great hardship during the war. They belonged to neutral countries, but they recognised that in war time special precautions had to be taken, and they were prepared to submit; but now the war was over, this sort of thing should not be continued. This clause meant that the mind of the policeman, instead of the' mind of the statesman, was ruling the country. Air. J. MeCombs (Lyttelton) and Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) wanted to know precisely what was at the back of the clause. Mr. H. E. Holland (Labor leader) said the clause would not only hit fo-eigners, but it would hit New Zealanders, for he doubted if any man would work under this amendment. Mr. R„ A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) said that as a member of the Wellington Harbor Board he was in a position to say that foreigners on the waterfront had been gujlty of creating great mischief, and the clause was necessary to deal with them, and he hoped it would be passed. CAUSE OF UNREST.

Mr. D,. G. Sullivan (Avon) maintained that the clause made an unfair discrimination between the alien commercial man and the alien worker. It waa provided that if an alien enemy business man was in .business before the coming into operation of this amendment he was to be permitted to carry on, but an alien worker was to be deprived of his living. He denied that foreigners on the wharves were at the bottom of industrial unrest. That unrest was world wide, and was due to economic conditions arising out of the war. His. long experience with trades unions in New Zealand taught him that foreigners had scarcely anything to do with these organisations. Those who were fighting for social justice in New Zealand -were for the most part British nationals, and sons of New Zealand. Messrs A. D. McLeod (Wairarapa), E. Kellett (Dunedin North), C. E. Stathnm (Dunedin Central), W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne), and Dr. IT. T. Thacker (Christchurch Eas£) supported the regulation, on the ground of national safety. Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) opposed it on the ground that this class legislation was calculated to promote national hatred. PREMIER'S REPLY. ■Mr. Massey, in reply, .said it was not the intention of the Government to persecute Germans now living in the country, but he, hoped they would never get back to the state of peaceful penetration prevailing before the war. He wished to make it perfectly clear that the clause did not apply to New Zealanders, or to 1 , any British subject. Much of what was included in the regulation waa law at the present moment. He denied that the clause would cause an offence to our allies, especially Americans, but many dangerous men came from America. The recent explosion in Wall Street, costing many lives, was the kind of thing they had to provide against. He did not believe the industrial movement in New Zealand was dominated by foreigners, but there were some undesirable foreigners in the ranks of Labor, and when they saw what was going on in other countries they were to take the necessary precautions. The clause had not been introduced till the Government was thoroughly satisfied it was required, and he therefore moved its adoption. This, was challenged by the Labor Party, who called for a division, which resulted jn the amendments being agreed to by 54 votes to 7.