AUSTRALIA’S JOKE

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1931, Page 9

AUSTRALIA’S JOKE

SHUTTING OUT MIGRANTS.

DOMINION STOWAWAY FAILS.’

A young New Zealand stowaway, who was returned to Auckland by the Ulimaroa on Wednesday, after having obtaiped a free passage to Sydney on the steamer’s last trip, had the unusual experience of undergoing the famous Australian dictation test, which no. one has yet passed successfully. Young, able-bodied, well-dressed., and apparently well-educated, this stowaway Went straight to the Lopg Bay penitentiary when he reached Sydney, as the j Australian authorities realised that if he were treated in the sam® way as the majority of stowaways and prosecuted in court he fimuld become a charge oh the State. He was penniless, and it was considered that he had no prospects of securing a position. The authorities therefore decided to treat him as a prohibited immigrant, and make him submit io the dictation test, which is regarded as a first-class joke the world over. Failing to ; pass it, he was taken to prison, ’where he remained while the Ulimaroa went into dock.

The failure of this New Zealander to pass the dictation test, even though it was given in English, directs attention, to the wide powers of the Commopwealth in this respect under the Immigration Act. There are clauses in the Act which specify undesirable persons who may be banned because of disease, criminal record, or likelihood of becoming a charge on the State, hilt the dicta* tion test is a drag-net elapse which, makes it possible to prevent any migrant from going into the country. Failure to write pt dictation 50 words in any European language'is sufficient, but the language chosen is invariably one with which the immigrant is not familiar, The test may even be set in Gdeiic. But it 'is jbst as difficult for "any one familiar with the English lain giiage to pass an English test,as any other, for the 50 words are read before the immigrant is permitted to write, and 100 per eent. efficiency is demanded. Officers of the Federal Customs Department, who adniinister the Act, say -that no one has ever passed the test, and no one is ever likely to. Jf a man passed he would have io be admitted without a second test, so tfie officers take no risk of a paSs, and if in doubt; cet .the test in Spanish, or Italian, or Gaelic. Under the Act any person in good health and holding a valid passport ffiay be banned. A test in Dutch was given the other day to a party of gipsies, pud although tliey had aipple weans, they returned by the same’ steamer. A classic, example of Oriental cunning came to light not loijg ago. The authorities sought to deport a Chinese already resident in the ' Commonwealth. The bfiiher, seeing that the Chinese was pot writing a word of the test, did not eon» tinue for ilie. prescribed 50 words. Op the; .technicality tho Chinese won, and he is still in the Commonwealth, It was this experience that made the authorities, decide that the dictation, should always be completed before the transcription could be begun,