The Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1926. DESIRABLE AND UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17832, 28 April 1926, Page 8

The Star. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1926. DESIRABLE AND UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

In this issue of the “ Star ” there appears a photograph of the first group of English girls to be brought out to New Zealand under the Flock House scheme as young immigrants. It is a very inspiring picture, for the girls obviously are of a most desirable type and moreover they are the daughters of British seamen who lost their lives during the war, and it is fitting that the Dominion which depended so much on the maintenance of the sea-lanes should offer them a helping hand. The fact that such desirable immigrants are available should be an added incentive to New Zealanders to maintain the high general average in this direction, of which so far they arc justly proud. Therefore, it is opportune to point out that immigrants of a very undesirable class continue to come in by the back door. On Monday last a fireman from the s.s. Canadian Miller, described by the captain as a most refractory member of the crew, was fined £lO for obscene language, the Bench describing the offence as one of the w'orst that had come before the court. The fireman decided to take the alternative of three months’ imprisonment, and on his discharge he will automatically become a New Zealand citizen. And yesterday another fireman, this time from the s.s. Canadian Spinner, was sent to gaol for imposing on the charity of priests, and he also will step out of gaol into full New Zealand citizenship. Then there is the problem of the three prohibited immigrants, young Scandinavians from an American barque, who are stranded in Auckland. These men, it is quite safe to say, arc much more desirable than the refractory firemen, but even their case shows how easy it is for immigrants to enter New Zealand by the back door. It is time that the law was amended, if necessary, to deal with this position and to impose sharper restrictions at ports of entry. It would be mucli more in the public interest that deserting firemen and others of that class should be put aboard their ships and sent out of New Zealand, instead of entering the Dominion through the prison gate.

The Auckland complaint that the city gambling public are being exploited for the benefit of country clubs appears to be only too well founded. It has always been the plea of country members of Parliament, whenever the question of reducing totalisator permits has been broached, that Parliament should not take away the one little country holiday that the local race meeting provides. But it is becoming notorious that whenever a country racecourse is out of order, a big effort is made to transfer the meeting to a city course. The permit for this transfer is usually granted by a complaisant Minister, and the result is to be seen in such meetings as the Cambridge Trots, which were held in Auckland the other day, and passed £43,739 through the totalisator as compared with last year’s total of £11,469 on the Waikato course. This sort of thing has been rather overdone in Auckland, although Christchurch has had its share. The trouble seems to be that heavy taxation would put the country racing clubs out of existence if they did not catch an occasional breeze from the city “ investor.” As a matter of fact, under present conditions, a country club racing on its own course depends very largely for its success on the number of city people who arrive by special train, and this applies to places as far distant from the city as Timaru. There may be occasions when a club is fully justified in asking for a transfer, but obviously the privilege is being abused, and the “ city gambling public ” evidently require to be protected against themselves.

The growing penalties for intoxication while in charge of a motor-car give point to the suggestion of the Christchurch Magistrate that where there is any doubt*as to the state of the accused person all available means should be tried to come to a just conclusion on the subject, and the gaol surgeon should be called in, as well as some outside medical man, if desired by the accused. This view was put very strongly by counsel in the case, and there is no doubt that some independent test for drunkenness will have to be agreed on. In the Old Country a schedule of tests has been drawn up, but it has never been the subject of complete agreement. The police are generally very fair in their evidence, but where a man has been involved in a collision, whether he has sustained injury or not, he is liable to be thrown off his balance. But, so far, New Zealand has not made it an offence to “ smell of drink.” although Mr Henry Ford is reported to have issued a decree on the subject, and evidence on such a point is not in itself to be trusted. Everybody wants to see the drunken motorist put down, and the Auckland Magistrate who imposed a fine of £IOO for this offence is to be congratulated on his firmness; but the very fact tlitit the penalties are so heavy should call for the utmost care in establishing guilt, and the opinion of a medical man seems to be quite the safest guide.