IMMIGRATION TO DOMINION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 111, 23 February 1950, Page 4

IMMIGRATION TO DOMINION

DISPLACED PERSONS WORK OF CABINET COMMITTEE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 22. New Zealand will accept 370 single Dutch men and 100 single Dutch women from the Netherlands forces in Indonesia and 1000 displaced persons from Europe this year. This tvas announced this evening by the Minister of Immigration (Mr W. Sullivan). "Since taking office in December members of the Government have felt the desire themselves to give fuller and more direct attention to the building up of population and it was decided to set up a Cabinet,committee on immigration. This consisted of myself as chairman and three other mem-, bers of the Cabinet. The committee will examine immigration matters as a whole, paying particular attention to relating any decisions to our exist* . ■- ing housing and accommodation problems. The committee will maintain direct liaison with the Immigration Advisory Council,’ which was set up in 1947.

“Several meetings of the s Cabinet committee have heen held and some important decisions have already heen made. It has been decided to take immediate advantage of the offer made by the Netherlands Government to arrange without cost to New Zealand, the transport from Indonesia to this country of up to 370 single .men and up to 100 single women from among those being demobilised from the Netherlands forces. A further group of 1000 displaced persons from Europe will also be accepted this year through the International Refugee organisation, which will again provide the necessary transport.

Occupations of Immigrants

“There will he a number of single Dutch men to take up farming positions arranged by my department in consultation with Federated Farmers. If the selection mission is able to get suitable building and 1 ’ construction tradesmen these will take up employment with the Ministry of Works and with private firms. The single Dutch women will be mainly employed in hospitals and sanatoria. “Included in the group of displaced persons will be 200 women mainly for employment as domestics on farms and in homes where there are several children to care for. Each of these women, will be accompanied by her own child of school age and it will therefore he necessary for each home to accept them on this understanding. Other groups to he included will be mainly building and construction tradesmen but there wil be some married eoubles for farm work and some women for factories.”