ALIENS IN DOMINION

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22467, 30 September 1944, Page 6

ALIENS IN DOMINION

TREATMENT DISCUSSED UNFAIRNESS ALLEGED (By Telegraph.—Press Associations WELLINGTON, Friday During discussion of the Justice « nd Prisons Department votes in the 'louse cf Representatives today ?.jr M. H. Oram (Opposition— Manawatu) said a case had been brought to his notice of a Chinese who had sought permission to purchase a property but was told that if he did so he must invest £IOOO in the war loan. Mr Oram said this was unfair treatment of a friendly alien who should either be deemed fit to purchase land unconditionally or should be refused. The Chinese had only £2OOO, and on his advising the Minister that he would have to get re-finance from the bank to enable him to make the investment asked, the stipulated amount to be invested in war loan was reduced to £SOO.

Mr J. Hodgens (Government — Palmerston North): Are you sure this is not a fairy tale? Mr Oram said the facts of the case were in his possession from the solicitor who negotiated the transaction.

Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition— Stratford) referring to the matter said he was reluctant to believe there was not some explanation of this blackmail of a friendly alien.

The Chairman of Committees, Mr R. McKeen, requested withdrawal of the term “blackmail,” and Mr Poison complied. Mr Poison said there was a great deal of concern in the country about the number of aliens and the positions they were gaining. Regarding opportunities aliens had for entering business, Mr Poison said some of the rumours were more than rumours. Statements had been made to him personally by officers who believed there was a wrong which should be put right.

The Minister, Mr Mason, said that early in the war there was a great deal of fear and emotionalism concerning aliens, and terror lest every one of them might be a spy. No amount of assurance as to the credentials of aliens would assuage that nervousness. Most careful and minute work was done over a long time to check everything which could be found concerning aliens. Personally, he thought that this minuteness was a little excessive, but in the state of public nervousness it was just as well to be able to say that nothing was left undone, and that could be said. However, the war had gone on a long time now and he thought public nervousness should have abated. Minister’s Anecdote

Mr Mason, instancing the sort of emotionalism he had to deal with concerning aliens, said a certain organisation had written to him protesting that too many aliens were being exempted from the regulations. This was maintained with inane repetition until finally he asked the organisation to name some aliens who had been exempted. The reply was to ask him (the Minister) to tell the organisation which aliens had been exempted from the regulations so that the organisation could tell him which ones it thought ought not to have been exempted. The organisation itself admitted that it did not know the names of any aliens who had been exempted from the regulations. Mr Mason said that was incredible but true.

The Minister said that a few years ago there was severe criticism of the Government for not opening the doors of the Dominion more widely to refugees. Certainly the policy regarding aliens had been very cautious and consequently their numbers today were not great. Very few were admitted before the war and none during the war except a very few who were on the way when the war was declared, yet agitation went on as'if they had been coming in all the time during the war years.

Mr Mason said the regulation governing land purchase by aliens became necessary not to injure aliens but to protect the people of the country as a whole. There had been only very few aliens who had attempted to buy up properties excessively. Interpretation of Regulations The Minister said he interpreted regulations not to mean that an alien should not have a roof over his head but as meaning they could not buy up property all over the place. Consideration was given to whether an alien was doing anything to help the war effort, although if circumstances made it impossible for him to do anything that was not held against him. If an alien who had not done everything in his power for the war effort sought to purchase land that fact was taken into consideration. As far as Chinese were concerned, they received every consideration. Numbers had been allowed to purchase land for market gardening. Mr Hodgens asked who determined the thousand pounds.

Mr Mason said he could not recall that amount but the true facts of the story which had been presented so unfavourably by Mr Oram were probably consistent with the policy he had outlined of expecting aliens buying land to help the war effort.

“We want to know the man is doing his best for the war effort,” said the Minister. No doubt if the war loan subscription suggested was too great the figures would be revised . If a man who was an Allied subject was not helping the war effort there was no reason why great excitement should be worked up over the mere fact that he was an ally. Mr Mason stressed that alien regulations operated not to injure aliens who would receive reasonable treatment according to the circumstances of each case but to protect the people as a whole. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition— Stratford), said the treatment to Chinese in the instance given was undignified. Mr T. L. MacDonald (Opposition— Mataura), asked if similar treatment applied to all refugee doctors, too. Mr Mason replied affirmatively. Increased Fee for Jurors Mr Mason said an increased fee for jurors was under consideration and was before the Stabilisation Commission at present. The idea was that a man who was called for more than three days should be fully reimbursed. As far as the treatment of the prisoners was concerned there was a great deal of difference between the opinion of those handling prisoners and those who merely observed. The ability to train prisoners was limited by the length of the sentence in most cases, but there were 29 warder instructors in the department and they were having some measure of success. It was a mistake to suppose that a few kind words or a show of emotion would turn a criminal into an honest mail. It was not as easy as that. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, said there was strong feeling in the country against friendly aliens getting opportunities which would counteract those of men serving overseas. If an alien did get he privilege of acquiring property