UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8984, 18 July 1907, Page 4

UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. [JfXOM OUK COJTBBSPONDKNT.] WELLINGTON, July 17. Tlie member for Kaiapoi suggested to tlie Minister of Public Health that steps should be taken to ensure that some medical inspection of passengers from the United Kingdom to New Zealand should be made at the port of embarkation in. order to prevent loss and great disappointment to those invalids suffering from consumption and seeking for health who are not permitted to land in this colony, but must be returned by the shipping companies interested. The Minister Teplied this afternoon that the attention of the shipping companies trading to New Zealand had been called to the fact that persons suffering from consumption are n;.t allowed to land in New Zealand. " The Chief Health Officer," he added, "had also, written to the various scientific journals circulating in Great Britain. Despite this, however, I am sorry tc say sufferers from this disaase a^c still being brought out. I am having representations made to the Imperial Government, drawing its intention tc tho need of more careful inspection at the port of embarkation. I quito realise the suffering and mental anguish wl.icri are occasioned to the passenger, who, having been advised to come to the colony because of his health, is forced to return. The Government and the various Hospital Boards have expended considerable sums in providing suitable accommodation for persons suffering from consumption in New Zealand, and it is unfair that indigent incurI ables should be sent here to become a J charge upon our rates. At the same time we must guard against interpreting this law of exclusion in any spirit of harshness. Consumption is sproad mainly by means of the matter coughed up, and if we cau be assured that an immigrant is so circumstanced as not to become a danger to our own proplf and not likely to become a chargp upon our rates, I think it would be inbum^E to say to such invalids 'you cannot avail yourselves of the benefits of oui climate.' "