Taranaki Herald. MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1906.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13241, 13 August 1906, Page 4

Taranaki Herald. MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1906.

UNDESIRABLES.

Food for reflection is afforded by a cable which appeared in our last issue, wherein it was stated that Mr Watchorn, United States Commissioner, is visiting Europe to inquire whether the measures for eliminating undesirables at. the sources of supply, and' obviating a fruitless voyage, can be improved. For very many years the United States fias %ien absorbing great numbers of the surplus population of Europe and the United Kingdom, imposing only;, trifling condi-

tionsi of entry into the country, where there is room and to spare for many millions of industrious people. Trifling, however, as these conditions are, it ha ; s 'been' foumd necessary to deny many admission and to send them back whence they came. Obviously it would be better to preivent undesirables from crossing the Atlantic on so fruitless a iourney, but the measures taken with this end in view have 'hitherto not been completely successful. It is not, however, to Atmerica's policy in this matter that we wish to refer at present, but rather to the policy of Great Britain as regards * alien immigration. England has for a long- times been a dumping- -ground for what, for want of a 'better term, may be termed the "submerged tenth* of European countries. America has attracted' a certain amount of pauper ■dmigramts, 'but the distance forms a barrier to some extent. London is x-eached quickly and at very small cost from European ports,- and its doors are always open, with only very slight restrictions. Consequently each year sees a' great influx of foreigner's, numbering perhaps 60,000, into the United Kingdom, a considerable portion of whom are practically penniless, and who help to swell the already lai"ge army of unemployed and paupers. It is no doubt a blessing to them to foe able to reach so charitable a country as England, but it is a great ' tax upon the British pcoplte, by bringing about increased poor rates. It is, however, traditional policy with Great Britain to provide a haven for the distressed and oppressed of whatever nationality. "For God and Hittnonity'' is the motto, and a wry excellent and praiseworthy one too. But there is a limit !! t o this, and a titme when charity ought to begin at home. It is a lamentable fact that, while tbe door is thus 'toeing held open, in the matne of charity and humanity, to alien immigrants, increasing numbers of the British people arc compelled to leave their own native courftry for other lands where the struggle for existence j is less keen. English cities are overcrowded and many who can find the means to emigrate to 'the ooloni'es arc leaving, while charitable institutions arc sending away many others who are without means and helping them to get a footing in Canada and other outlying parts of the Empire. These measures would relieve the pressure in the English cities, and give those who rem'simed' behind a much-" better chance to live in comfort, were it not that aliens are p ermitted to enter freel y to fill the places of those who are sent away. During the last twenty years considerable attention has been paid to this social probjem, but so far without much good resulting^ Several Comanissions and Committees have reported oh the question, and more than one Alien Bill has been introduced in Parliament. So far, however, the only restriction, except against criminals a-nd diseased people, is one requiring alien immigrants to be possessed of a email sum of money, and this restriction is little better than nothing, for the same sum of money is, by aneans of the postal service, made to do duty for several .people at different times. The actual number of aliens chargeable upon the poor rates fof the United Kingdom «is comparatively small 1 , not more than one in four hundred of the paupers in the Kingdom, and Great Britain can doubtless well afford that extent of charity.. To our mind, however, a more serious matter is the competition the lower classes of British working-people are subjected to by these foreigners, whose low standard of living enables them to exist -at. a very low rate of wages. It can scarcely be for the good of Great Britain to have -60,000 aliens entering the country every year to drive out as many of her own people, even if her colonies are the gainers by the influx of population, and it does ( more credit to the 'hearts of British people than to their heads that a practically unrestricted influx oi aliens-^especially of paxipers— is permitted year after 1 year. Eussia and Germany and other European countries are no doubt glad enough that their surplus population is able to, find a haven in England, but it is a serious matter for t'helatter. America, though partly protected by the Atlantic Ocean from- invasion by the pauper classes, is finding it necessary to impose still further restrictions, and her present action in despatching a comondssioner to make enquiries on the subject ought to have the effect of arousing public attention in England to the danger attaching to the unrestricted admission of aliens.