ASSISTED IMMIGRATION

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1929, Page 13

ASSISTED IMMIGRATION

RESTRICTIONS TO CONTINUE. ■ (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. An emphatic declaration that there is no intention of relaxing the immigration restrictions was given by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) in the House of Representatives to-day. The Prime Afinister said the Government had not slackened up’ and there were more unemployed in the country than there ought to be, and the difficulty of finding work for them was sufficiently great without having fresh difficulties created. The Government had succeeded to a very great extent but it had by no means met the whole position. It had not been wanting in giving consideration to the four chief cities in the matter of unemployment relief. The Government was not encouraging immigration and had no intention of adding to the difficulties in finding work for tho unemployed. The Minister in charge of the Immigration Department (Hon. J. G. Cobbc) said that at present no one was allowed to come into the country under the assisted immigration scheme except domestic servants, some juveniles under tho Church of England, Salvation Army and Flock House schemes, and members of separated families. Air. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South): “What about placing our own children first?”

The, Minister said that for tho year ended March 31, 1927, 11,239 assisted immigrants were brought out. In the next year 3822, and for the year ended March 31, 1929, 1968.- It was estimated that for the coming year tho number would bo considerably reduced. There bad been no relaxation in restrictions and there was no. intention of doing so for some time to come.