COLOURED LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 3

COLOURED LABOUR

AN IMPERIAL PROBLEM

MR. MASSEY DEPRECATES

DISCUSSION

The coloured labour question was discussed in the House of liepresentatives yesterday in connection with the presentation of the annual report 011 immigration. Tho subject was opened, by Air. J. A. Young (Waikato), who drew attention to an influx of coloured people from India. He said that some of the immigrants who wero reaching New Zealand from India were not of a desirable class. It had been shown that many of them couild not write their own name and could not speak the English languago. They could not be absorbed info tho community. How did these people got into tho country? They were supposed to have passed an education test, but obviously the test, if it was applied at all, was a very imperfect one. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said (lie question of coloured immigration was.a very important one indeed. Nobody in New Zealand or Australia could say yet what was (he price to be paid for tho assistance of Japan in the present war. Japan ha<l given most valuable aid 011 (hp sea, but the time had not come for discussing tho new position in detail. The problems connected with indentured labour from India, in Fiji, and elsewhere would have to be faced by tho Empire and settled on a satisfactory basis. The Indian Government had expressed its opinions already, and it was quite clear that the Hindu labourers would have to be placed upon ail improved looting. The matter, would have to be handled in a broad and comprehensive way by the Imperial' Government on behalf of the Dominions overseas. Tho people of India certainly wore conscious of the faqt that their services to the Empire in the field had changed their status within the_Empire. They would want fair treatment. The wages paid to indentured labour in Fiji at the present time constituted a disgrace to the British Empire. Air. C. H. Poole (Acukland West) was starting to speak when the Prime Minister interposed. "1 suggest to honourable members that they do not enter into this question just now," he said. "I liavo been bohind the scenes, and I know discussion is not advisable at the present time."

Mr. Poole said he realised the subject was a very delicate one. Many thousands of Indians were helping to fight the 1 Kittles of tlio Empire". It was just as well, however, that members should sound a warning with regard to the immigration problem. Fiji was a gate to New Zealand as far as coloured labour was concerned. Many of the indentured Indians in i'iji wero being placed on small holdings when the five-year period of their indentures had expired, aiid. in time these settlers might provide all the labour required i'or the sugar plantations. The question could not be discussed freely at present, but it would have to be faced I'earlessly in the future.

Mr. Massey said he could assure the members who had spoken on this interesting and important subject of the immigration of Indians that the problem had not been neglected by Ministers. It had been discussed at considerable length by the members of the Imperial Conterenco. He could tell tho House something that had l not been stated before, that a great deal of pressure had been brought to bear upon Sir Joseph Ward and himself to return to New Zealand by way of India, land to spend two or three months in India looking into certain affairs with the object of reporting to the Imperial Government. They did not see their way to accept the invitation, as they considered their presenoe was required in Now Zealand. Mr. Wilford: We would have forgotten all about you.

Mr. Masscy: "Now Zealand will never forget me." He added that Hindus who lauded in Now Zoaland wore requirod to be healthj- and of.good character, and were required to write out a simple forra of application-in English or some other European language. Mr. Poole: The form is stereotyped.

Jlr. Maasey: No. The form is never tho same. I believe that this Indian question vill be much more easily settled in the future than in the past Never again will wo haye such a state of affairs aa occurred in connection with tho proposed landing of Indians on the west coast of Canada 6ome time ago. The admission of Indians to the Imperial Conference and the Imperial "War Cabinet has had a wonderfully good effcct. Mr. Wilford: Don't yon thinlc that Canadian trouble was a put-up German job? Hf. Massey: I holieve it ivns, with! the object of causing trouble between India and Canada in time of war. Mr. Wilford read a letter from_ an educated Hindu who had been in New Zealand for some time, hod been refused admission to the Not Zealand Forces, and -was trying now to enter the Imperial Forces. The letter, said Mr. "Wilford, illustrated the difficulty of the immigration problem. ,