MIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 263, 31 July 1920, Page 8

MIGRATION

RENTPAYERS' ASSOCIATION'S CAMPAIGN • MR. MASSEf'S PROTEST \ A statement that the New Zealand Remtpayerc;' Association intended to circularise British newspapers to the detriment of immigration info this country was mentioned in the House of Representatives by Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskm;. Ihe member, suggested that the Government should draw the attention of the High Commissioner to the matter, with a view to the correction of any misstatements made by the association. Mr. Massey said the suggestion seemed to be that immigrants should not come to Neiv Zealand because there was a shortage of houses. He thought it time that the conduct of an unpatriotic section of people in this country was checked. (Hear. Hear.) No patriotic man would make such suggestions. Mr. Holland: No patriotic man would bring people hero without liomeß for them, . Mr. Massey: "The honourable member is not qualified to express an opinion regarding patriotism. If ho thought for one moment he would know "that many of the people wbo are coming to this country are tradesmen, and will help us to build homes. The more people of the right sort that come to this country tho sooner wu will have eiwugh nonies." It was not a right or patriotic thing to make suggestions detrimental to the Dominion. Confused interjections came from (the Labour benches, and the Speaker called for order.. Mr. Massey said that the conduct of people, whether members of tbe House or not, who decried the country caine as nearly as possible to being disloyal 'aud seditions. Mr. P-. Froser' (Wellington Central) asked it' Mr. Massey would deny that two women, the widows of British soldiers,, had been compelled to sleep in a shed on the Wellington wharves many months ago because they could not get accommodation on the first night after landing from the steamer Corinthic. Mr. Massey replied that he had heard the statement made before by the 6nmeMember. He would not deiiy it'." Some trouble had been caused by the fact that immigrants' reached New Zea'and occasionally via Australia, and so escaped tho notice of the Immigration Department. Arrangements were made for the reception of overy immigrant who arrived bv the direct route. He was sorry if hardship had been experienced in any case, but lie did not doubt that the peoplo would become contented settlers after they had acquired a little colonial experience. There was no country in tho British Empire that offered better conditions to immigrants than New Zealand did,' and it was a fact known to all members of the House that many of ihe most prosperous people in New Zealand today had reached the Dominion as immigrants without a penny in their pockets.

LIGHT RAILWAYS' . WHY WAR LINES WERE NOT I BOUGHT. Some of the farmers at the conference sitting in Wellington on 'Thursday made some references to alleged failure on the part of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward to purchase some cf the material for light railways in the war zone in France, with a view of bringing that material to New Zealand for uso here. Ono speaker had suggested that Canada and South Africa.had been more wide awake / and had secured quantities of this 1 material. Mr. J. A. Young (Waikalo) ■ asked Mr. Massey as io tho truth of the 6ta(omcnts made at the conference Mr. Massey, in reply, said that he had some recollection of having replied to a question dealing with this matter of the purchase of light railway material from . the war zone last session, flint queslion having ■ come from the member- for Waikato. On that occasion he had stated that while he was in Europe ho had been asked bv two countv councils m New Zealand to look into the ouestion of tho purchase of material from some of the light lines that had been used for war work. Ho had an opportunity of meeting Mr, Yickerman, of the Public Work? staff, and he had instructed Mr. Vickermnn to go exhaustively into the whole matter, Mr. Yickerman .sent in a report, the effect of which was that he, could not recommend tho purchase of light lines at. (he pr:<;e asked, and that it would be better to buy imw material than to buy the old lines. He (Mr. Massey) had bran informed also that, the French Government raised strong objection to any of the lines being lifted, and in order to avoid possibility of friction the British Government!, handed over all tho lines to Prance. He had tho best of reasons for knowing that the statement that Canada and .South Africa had obtained sonio of this light railway material was not correct. Ho hoped that the suggestions being made for the building' of some of these light lines for the development of this country would be adopted. He could only repeat his- formor statement I hat the necessary legislation would be placed boforo Parlia7nent ai an early date.

"WHAT IS BEER MADE OF?" "I hope that the Government will not answer this question in a perfunctory manner, but will deal with it in accordance with tho seriousness of the position," said the Eon. G. Jones when ho put tho following question to the Attor-ney-General yesterday: "Will the Government, in view of tho alarming shortage of whe.it and flour in the Dominion and elsewhere, seriously consider Ihe desirability of preventing the use of grain in the brewing of beer?" "As far as the information of tho Government goes," Sir Francis Bell replied', "wheat is not used in (he brewing of boor." "That is so; I quite admit that," said Mr. Jones. "That is the answer," rejoined the Attorney-General. Mr. Jones-thereupon announced that ho would inako his suggestion in (ho form of a motion, so that the Council might voto upon it; and later in tho day he gave notice accordingly. The Legislative Council vesterdiiy passed the Imprest Supply Bfll No, 2.