ENEMY ALIENS' HOLDINGS

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1946, Page 2

ENEMY ALIENS' HOLDINGS

Have Acquired £780,000 Worth of Property Staggering figures slxowing the extent to which enemy aliens had hecome entrenched in New Zealand, : were quoted by Mr. W. J. G-alloway, . oi' Otaki, at the annual conference oi' the Manawatu' district of Federated Farmers in Palmerston North this; week.' With the consent of the Government, a total of 404 enemy aliens had acquired property to an approximate value of £780,000. Mr. Galloway was introducing a remit from the Te Horo-Otaki branch strongly recommending the Dominion Executive of the Pederated Parmers to co-operate with the Dominion txccutive of the Returned Services' Association in requesting the Goverament to introduce legislation prohibiting enemy aliens from further purchase of New Zealand farmlands, house px;operties and husinesses until ail ex-servicemen and women are rehabilitated and housed. While the yoimg men of the country had been away fighting overseas, the . Govcrnment had' permttted the - purchase by enemy aliens of: 65 farms, representing an area of 3657 acres, valued at £152,517. 276 house properties, with 162 acrcs, valued at £312,556. ' 63 husinesses, with 180 acres, valued at £114,773. "V/e now have the position of enemy aliens employing New Zealanders, instead of the former being employed by New Zealanders," said Mr. Galloway. "I am not criticising the action of thc Government in extcnding shelter to rcfugees forced to flee their own countries, but I do objcct to the GrOvernment permitting them to purchase New Zealand property, while so many of our servicemen remain to be rehabilitated. Prom November, 1945, these aliens have been granted the right to become naturalised." The remit was adopted. The extent of the privileges cxtended by the Government. to former enemy aliens, has been a ' sore point with the N.Z.R.S.A. for a long time, but protests to the highest aitthoriti'es have proved of no avail. At last year's Dominion Ccnference - of the N.Z.R.S.A. voices were raised 'loud and long demanding from the Governi ment a statement of policy in regaxd to enemy aliens. Prom the platform of the conference, room, Mr. W. Nash said he hoped to. be able to ' make a pronouncement 6jh the matter in a Short time. It isriib'w pertiiient for the-1 R.S.A. to remind-the Government that returned men have waited patiently for a year for that statement of policy — in vain. The Auckland R.S.A. at its annual meeting recently, vigorously * raised the question again, and it seems as though this vexed matter will rank high on this year's agenda for the Dominion Conference which opens in Wellington on May 28. Perhaps the Government will learn that the memory of returned men is not as short as that of the Government itseii'.