ITALIANS SHUT OUT

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1930, Page 11

ITALIANS SHUT OUT

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. NO NOTICE OF RESTRICTION. Sydney, Dec. 11. It seems quite clear now that somebody blundered in permitting the Italian migrants, who have not been allowed to land in Australia, to leave their, native country. The 55 men who reached Australia by the Orford, and who have not left the ship since it touched these shores, will be followed by more than 100 of their compatriots, who also will be the guests of the P, and O. Company until they. are returned home. 'These Italians- came in good faith, with aIL legal requirements-fulfilled, but it seems. evident that they have no redress. ' ‘ '

Few people will be prepared to argue that the Commonwealth Government is not acting in a reasonable manner in refusing.to admit Italians when there is not sufficient work for her own sons. Still, there are some who point to the fact'that while young Australians cling to the overcrowded, cities waiting for something to turn up, the young Italians go on to the land and play a great part in assisting its development. Each of the banned migrants had the landing sum of £4O at least, and some of Them boasted considerably more—the result of years of saving. It is easy, therefore, to sympathise with them and to express disgust at the bungling which ! was responsible for their arrival. The plans that were made to tranship the Italians from the Orford at Sydney last Saturday to another boat, that was leaving that day for Italy went badly astray, because the migrants insisted that the shipping company . should at least carry them to" their destinatibn, which was . Brisbane.. It was evident that they were sparring for time, in the hope of intervention on the part of Signor Mussolini. All the same, they vyill probably wait iri vain. Lawyers, say that no protest by the Duce could have any effect, nor would it have any legal weight in international law. : They point out that a leading principle of international law is that each nation shall - give effect to the other's’ laws unless' they conflict with its own laws, Or ‘ with general principles affecting the employnient and welfare of its people. Unemployment at the present time is one of Australia’s gravest problems, and further to congest the labour market by Italian immigrants would not be. justified. Not being British subjects the Italians have no legal redress against the Commonwealth. It is a trite law that any community is entitled to determine, through its Parliament, of what- persons' the community is to be. composed, especially when, immigrants are seeking, employment in an already overcrowded market. What has .been done in Australia has already been done in England and it is argued that it is doubtful whether the League of Nations would have any power or any desire to interfere, as has been suggested in some quarters. In any case, the matter is exclusively one for the Commonwealth Government to settle and any representations from Italy would have to go direct to the Federal Government. Most of the migrants who are affected were booked for Brisbane, their intention being to work on the Queensland sugar-cane fields, where already they predominate.. It is of interest to note the denial, by the Premier of Queensland (Mr. Moore) that he asked the Federal Government to ban the migrants from landing in Australia. In tlie meantime Italian residents in all States are planning a protest to the .Government, putting forth as one of their strongest arguments the fact that their countrymen did not know of the restriction when they sold up their homes in Italy and set sail for the country from which they had received such encouraging reports. It seems now that the appeal will be in vain.