At Least 15,000 Waiting Passages To N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1949, Page 3

At Least 15,000 Waiting Passages To N.Z.

• DUNEDIN, Dec. 33. Genuine registrations in Britain 'for passages to New Zealand, had been estimated by the High Cbmmissioner 's office as 15,000 at August 1, states the Director of Employment, Mr H. L. Bockett, in a letter to the Evening Star. fncluded in the registrations were about 1500 returning New Zealanders. New. registrations were received ht the rates. of 4000 tcf 5Q00 a year. Mr Boekett's comments were made after the High Commissioner's oifice in London had received a eopy of the Star of October 25. in which a Dunedin busiufessnian declared there was no tyouble in obtaining a return passage from England and. that some ships were coming to Australia and New Zealand .vvithout full complements of passengers. The estimated number of berths available on commercial vessels from the United Kingdom tq New Zealand, between August 1, 1949, and December 31, 1950, is 11,000 states the letter. Of this total, by arrangement with ship ping companies, approximately 3900 berths will be made available to the Government for allocation to Selected workers including family groups who are responsible for the payment of their own f ares and for whom acc'ommodation is guaranteed in the Dominion. The balanee of the berths will be in the hands of the shipping companies whose general practice is to extend priority to bona fida returning New Zealanders and then to British people in the date order of their registering passages. "It is probable," says Mr Bockett, "that the number of returning New Zealanders to be given priority by the shipping companies, is likely to con tinue at the rate of 1500 to 2000 a year which will leave the companies with some 3500 berths to allocate to ordinary British registrations. New registrations are received at„ the rate of 4000 to 5000 a year so that the norma! waiting period for British people will probably continue to be three years."