NEED FOR IMMIGRATION

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1947, Page 2

NEED FOR IMMIGRATION

^ APPEAL TO PRIME MINISTER WELLINGTON, Feb. 18. About two years ago tlie Donunion yettlement and Population Association waited upon the Pritue Aiinister to place before liim their view that theru was'a need for a policv 011 nniuigration. J The Association lias again revived the .iiiliject with an opeu letter to the I l ritne Aiinister. I11 this letter, the As- ! ...jciation states: "While other Dominious are aetiveiv i putting their innnigration plans intu I practice, Xew Zealand maintains a .iphiux-uke silence. V\ e would again emphusise the fact that tlie great majority of thin.-ing people in tlns .tangeroiisly uuaer-pupuiated land, feeJ that the future of their country is. hang ing in the balauce. Meantinie our | sioter Doniiuions are contracting to an i sorb the suitable immigrants who are ! availunle and unless we act proniptiy | the supply will dry up. Australia, I which has larger probleius than ourI selves botli in settling her returned serricenieu and iu coping with a greater I housiug sliortage, is chartering great I liners in the endeavour to reach its objecti\e of 70,000 new settlers per annum. "Tne position in this country can be best suinmed up in the recent declara J lion of the Aiinister of Alaupovver: j'Two liundred and fourteen persons i seeking worx and 24,01K) .jobs unlilled. I The result of this is disastrously. affeet I ing our wliole ecoiion^c life. Insuiricienl coal, due to lack of suliicient niiners, is causing a shortage of cemunt. Ehortages of labour are seriousfv affeeting I and -limiting tiiiiber supplies. We art over 7000 carpenters 'short at well as n I host of other buildings artisans anc I this results in a housiug shortage \v hicl I is causing the gravest hardship and i being avoidable, is a iiositiou nol creditable to our coTiirtry. ' ' We are conlident. that tliere are nt insuperable difficulties in connectior with housiug. An ample jsupply of lab our of various typcs is the essenfial ic quirement and tlie lf boui- available ii New Zealand can be supplemented t( the full coniplement necessary, by 1m migrants.from ^broad. "