IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 302, 15 September 1920, Page 8

IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS EXPLAINED

MEMBERS SUGGEST "DIPLOMATIC EXCLUSION" OBJECTIONS ro THE POLL . TAX The Prime Minister moved tho second reading of the Immigration Kestriction Bill in the House last night. Mr. Masney began by instituting a comparison between the immigration statistics for the six months period ended June 30 last and those for tho preceding twelve months. Of people from other parts of tho British Empire, he said, JS.v-lt arrived during the six months ended Juno 80, while the figures for tho preceding twelve months were 19,650. Including arrivals - from foreign countries, the figures for the six months' period were 20,2-14, as compared with 20.931 for tsio preceding twelve months. Of the immigrants who arrived during the last six months 475 paid poll-tax. l'Vom India there arrived during tho last six months 174 persons, as compared with 193 during t.lie preceding twelve months. There was a deep-seated sentiment on tho par' of ft hugo majority, of the people of thw minitr.v in favour of a "White New Zealand" and that tho people who were admitted from abroad should be—so far as it was possible to ensure fulfilment of the condition—of the same way of thinking, from the British Empire point of vipw, as New Zealanders were. The Government, in promoting the Bill beforo the House, intended to do no injustice to the people of any country. New Zealand had, however, a perfect right to .safeguard its immigration policy, and to make quite sure that those who eame to take up their residence as permanent citizens of the Dominion wore persons of whom the present citizens could approve. Tin Royal Assent, Asked if Eoyal Assent to the measure would have to be obtained, Mr. Maßsey replied that though he had at first been sure that the Eoyal As-sent, was necessary, he was not so sure now. He quoted >o the House a resolution of the Imperial War Conference to the following effect:— "It is an inherent function of the Governments of the several communities of the British Commonwealth, including India, that each should enjoy complete control of the composition of its own population, by means of- restriction on immigration from any of . the other countries/" There were attached to the clause quoted other clauses making provision for reciprocity between the various'parts of the Empire. He thought the resolution probably gave the Dominion the right to pass such a Bill as that before the House, extending to other countries within the Empire the same rights as were claimed for New Zealanders in the matter of immigration to those countries. No doub't the SolicitorGeneral would be able to adviso the Government whether the Eoyal Assent was necessary. ' Permits. The principle of the Bill wag that no person should conw into this country unless he was of British or Irish birth, or unless he cjime "for health, pleasure; or business," as set forth in the Bill. The words "of British or Irish birth" were very comprehensive, and included all British countries. If a person was outside the conditions mentioned, he must get a permit from tho Minister of Cisterns, and the application for the permit must bo addressed to the Minister of Customs beforo the prospective immigrant left his own country.

Jlr. J. V. Brown (Napier) asked whether a person in the last stages of consumption would be allowed to land in the country.

The Prime Minister's reply was something of n paradox: "People who como here 'for health' must be healthy."

Jlr. Jlassey added by way of illustration that many people went to Rotorua for jiealth who had nothing wrong with them. A person who desired to come here from a foreign country must, as had oeen said, apply to the Minister of Customs in a letter written before he left his own country. There would probably be no objection to his making the application through tho representative in the Dominion of his .country. He could land in New Zealand for any of the purposes mentioned, but even then foe must obtain from the Minister a permit tp stay, and his visit must not exceed six months. If lie was in the country for more than six months for other purposes than .per manent settlement, hie must set an extension of his permit. If he proved himself to bo a man of good character and a desirable citizen, lie might go the length of applying to the Minister for permanent residence.

Taking the Oaths,

There was another very important provision. He had 1 said that people of British or Irish birth might come to New Zealand without obtaining anything in the wav of a permit; but when t.hey did come the Bill provided they must take the Oath of Allegiance. Those who came simply on a visit, or for any of the purposes mentioned, were also expected to take an oath, but an oath of slightly different form from that of the Oath of Allegiance. What was at present provided to safeguard the interests of the country in the matter of immigration was tta education test. But the education test had been of very little vahie indeed, and the Bill proposed to abolish it. The provisions of the Bill would take its plnco, and lie was confident that they would be very nuiclil more effective. The taking of fingerprints was also being abandoned, as it was considered unnecessary. The poll tax would remain. The Bill was necessary, but it was not intended to penalise the people of any country in particular, but was intended to apply equally all round. There was a very important clause providing that the Governor-Gen-eral might declare the "nationals of any country or any nation to be so exempted from the application of the Bill tfclat they should be able to come into tho country in the same as if they were citizens of Britisli or Irish 'birth. Position of the Maoris. The Hon. A. T. Ngata asked a question about, the position of the Maoris under the Bill. Tfcie Prime Minister's reply was that the Maori had,the same rights and privileges, in every sense as the rest of the inhabitants of Now /ealand, and was well worthy of tbese richts and privileges. . Mr. Ngnta: That may be all right, but the Bill does not say so. Mr. 'Massey: If the Bill does not say so we will make it say 60. The Bill provided, Mr. Massey continued, for the repeal of n section of tlio present Act, which provided, in effect, that when an immigrant came to New Zealand, and there was some doubt ahotit whether he should be allowed to land, ho should be allowed to land on payment of ,£IOO deposit. Now, such a man would not be allowed to land even on payment of the deposit. Mr! Massey said in conclusion that he had no doubt the Bill' would help to preserve the purity of the racv Mr G. Mitchell: Why have you preserved the poll tax when you have made other provision? Mr. Massey. It is an additional safeguard. I considered tho point, and decided that it would bo bettor In retain the poll tax. British or Irish. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) suggested that there had been too much delay in bringing tho Bill before the House. He asked why tho words "British or Irish birth" were used in the Bill. Mr. Massey: The official definition of the United Kingdom is "Great Britain and Ireland." Mr. Sidey thought that the perpetuation of a meaningless distinction was tindesirable. It appeared that the Bill would permit of tho Exclusion of a Maori who had boon outside Now ZoaZealaiid for some time. Mr. Mnssev said tho rights of the Maoris would lie fully safeguarded. Ho would accept, also,« suggestion made by Mr. Sidey that immigrants should lie allowed to' substitute an affirmation of allegiance for an oath. Mr. Sidey urged-that the poll tax should bo dropped, since it would bo unnecessary after the passing of tho Bill.

Repeal the Poll Tax. Mr. AV. I). Stewart (Dnnedin West) said that the poll tax had never been effective in keeping Chinese out o£ Now Zealand. The Chinese who came hero in hundreds evidently were imported bv syndicates. They, were coolies of Hie type that the tax had been intended to exclude. Tho better class Chinese who might havo been expected to be able to pay tho tax,, did not corn? at all, since thev resented tho indignity imjioscd mion their race. Canada had tried to overcome the difficulty by agreeing with the Chinese Government that only a limited number of Chineso should bo admitted to Canada each year. He thought that New Zealand would not bo wise to retain the poll tax, which was a cause of offence to •IOO.CAO.CAO Chinese. Tho Chineso Consul had told him that the Chinese Government would be willing to maicc an agreoment with New Zealand limitinn the nnmjier of Chinese who were to enter the Dominion yearly. This would be more effective than tho poll tax; . it would tend to excludo the coolio class, and it would not offend a great Pacific nation. The poll tax obviously wns not needed, when tho Government was taking arbitrary power to exclude foreigners of all softs. The Labour View. Mr. 11. E. Holland (Buller) told the House that the world was a very small place, and that the same red blood of humanity flowed in the veins of all men. lie did not think that the colour of a man's skin or the country of his birth ought t<;i count, but the Labour Party would vote' lo preserve existing social standards and to protect coloured workers. Mr. Holland proclaimed-the biothorhocd of man, but indicaMd that he wanted the number of Asiatics entering New Zealand to be limited strictly to a very small number. A sixth standard educational test should be imposed. This applied also to Indians, lie saw no objection to tho employment of Indians as long as they worked under the same conditions as white men. 'Mr. Holland objected to the proposed oath of allegiance, which ho suggested would- exclude persons whoso religious convictions prevented them taking an oath. Ho eontended also that the Bill violated in somo respects tho rights of British cittzenship. Diplomatic Exclusion, "Crude" was the adjective that Mr. A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) applied to the Bill. Ho believed Asiatic immigration into New Zealand could be checked by diplomatic means without giving offence to other countries borcjering the Pacific. Tho Asiatic peoples did not wish to quarrel with Western nations, and there was no real ground for the belief that China and Japan had overflowing populations to dispose of. Those countries had vast commercial development ahead of them, and they were depondent on Europe for very much assistance. Mr. M'Nicol (Pahiatua) mentioned that the commercialised Chinaman had made wis appearanco in New Zealand. He was more objectionable than the gardoning Chinaman, who had often served a very useful purpose. If a diplomatic method of dealing with the problem could be found, it would be more satisfactory than an arbitrary prohibition. Other speakers endorsed this view, and agreed that the poll-tax was undesirable under tho conditions proposed by the Bill. Among.the critics of the Bill was Mr. D. J. Sullivan. (Avon), who found fault with tho Government for proposing that it should havo power to exempt tho nationals of any country from the restrictions placed on persons not of British or Irish birth. By availing itself of the powers that it asked Parliament to entrust to it, the Government could embark, lie Mid, upon a policy of unrestricted Asiatic immigration Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) considered that the 'right of to this country should be refused, to persons who could not declare' 011 oath that they had never been connected with disloyal orsanisations or convicted of sf.dition. Ho heartily supported Ihe Bill. About "ie Irish. Mr. C. E. Statham (Dnnedin Centra!) objected tQ the use of the words "of British or Irish birth." He thought that tho word "British" alone would suffice, and that it ought to be taken to include 1 tho Irish. i\lt. MasSey said that the words were employed only in a formal way. The phrase "King of Great Britain and Ireland" was used every day. ' Mr. Statham: But we speak of the British Isles, and we regard the Irish people as British. Mr, Massey: Nobcdy says anything else. I'm an Irishman myself. _ "I think the measure is an honest attempt to meet a great difficulty." said -lr. Ngata. "It does enable Cabinet, with a stiff back and the support of the poople of New Zealand, to sa.V,/We will not let any moro'Chinese come in.' It is like giving a decision without stating the Teason. Tho Minister of Customs can say. 'We 1 will not let Chinese come in,' and give 110 reasons." Mr. Holland: On the other hand, 110 can let them all in and jive no reasons. Jlr. Ngata: I don't think any Minister would dare to do it.

Mr. Massey mado a brief reply before the second reading. Deferring to the suggestion that tho Government should use diplomacy, he said that diplomacy sometimes took a- very long time to 'achieve its ends, and he had been thinking of the rate at' which the Chinese wero pouring into jNew Zealand to-day. The Chinese who had arrived in thin country during tho past eight months cumbered 72' J.

Mr. Sullivan: Would yon exclude them altogether?

Mr. Massey: If it 'became necessary, yes.. At the same time. 1 don't want to do any injustice to tho Chinese peuplo. 1 Tjollcve that soino day tliey will be n great power in tlie world, though the time is not yet. .It is in our interest to treat them fairly hbil decently, and [ don't think even tlin Chinese will cnrotilain. ■ With rogard to Indians, Air. AJassoy said that ho had conceived the vory highest opinion of some of their leaders whom he. had met; hut he believed that these very men would agree that New Zealand -was doing tho. right thing in preventing an unnecessarily large number of Indians from finding their way into the country and settling permanently hero. One of Hie objects of the Bill, said Air. Massey, was to protect -New Zealand Labour from cheap coloured labour, itwas not correct to say that Quakers could not conscientiously make an ai(irmation of loyalty. Quakers had sat in the British Parliament and in tho Nfew Zealand Parliament, and had lint made any difficulty about declaring their allegmnc.Pi second time'at tho conclusion of a long debate.