WORSE THAN CRIMINALS

Chronicle (Levin), 26 August 1949, Page 5

WORSE THAN CRIMINALS

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuten

$woop On Deportees Raises Press Protest

Copyright)

Received Thursday, a p.m. SYDNEY, August -25. Sudden action by oflieials of the Imniigration Department in seeking to carry out the provisions of the Wartime Refugees Reuioval Act passed by the Federal Parliament last month, has caused consternation among Asiatics tliroughout Australia The Act was part of legislation introduced by the Minister of Imniigration, ALr. Calwell, to close the gaps in tlie immigration laws revealed by the case in which Mrs. Annie O'Keefe successfully chalLenged the Federal Government ;s right to dep.oct^her. Armed with the new legislation which it believes watertight, the Imniigration Department has started out afresh to "clear Australia of S00 Asiatics who came the war years. The first raids, which lietted 2-i Chinese in tliree State capitals, drove many other Chinese into hiding. Of these some 300 have returned to work in restaurants and shops following the intercession of the Chinese Ambassador but many others remaiu concealed until Government intentions arc kno\yn. Meanwhile the arrested meu are held in gaols until the departure of the first ship for China. The Government action has provoked an outcry in the Press. ' ' These nien have comiuitted no crime, " says the Sydney ilerald. ' ' Their only offence was that they had not voluntarily left Australia wlier-e they were discharged from the ships in which they had served during the war. They were noUeven attemptLng to evade the authorities but were working openiy in cafes aud other places. Yet they were seized and locked up as if they were thieves and escapees. " Uinler the Wartime Refugees Removal Act the imprisoned men are worse off than criminals for they were taken into custody merely on the order of the Minister and are held without coming before Court. Thus. there can be no application for bait though men of high standing are prepared to offer bail mojiey. The unfortuuate Chinese, all of whom have business affairs to settle and some of whom have Austraiikn wives and families, will be heid for weeks before being placed aboard a vessei. Tliey will then be shipped steerage to ILong Ivong and left to shift for theiuselves. By the same arbitrary means of deportation, a young Italian was taken in charge and. told he would be sent to Italv though he had not been there sinee he was five and though' his parents were in •Englaml. This man was held in gaol even though he useu private means to obtain a passage for himself and family to England. He said he was confined with drunks, vagrants and derelicts and with other deportees, some of whom had been waiting ships for six months. No Anstralian political party is prepared to oppose the White Australia policy but many people believe that • the immigration laws should be interpreted with a greatcr degree of humanity. ' "