IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1920, Page 3

IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION

DRAWING THE COLOR LINE

'HE AMENDING BILL DISCUSSED

Our Parliamentary Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Sept, 15, When moving thy- second reading of the Immigration Restriction Bill tonight, Mr Massey said lip recognised the deep yqated desire of most -V *Y Zealanders to maintain a white „,d loyal dominion. Goverment did not intend to do an injustice to any country but New Zealand had a perfect right to safeguard its nationality aaninst undesirable immigration. This right had been formerly recpgnjspil by the Imperial War Conference \fhich had aslmrtfd the rjght of States of the Empire‘to control thy composition pt their 'owq population by immigration. The introduction of (he Bill proposed to retain thy. poll tax on Chinese as an additional safeguard but the general principle of the Bill was to require persons coming to New Zealand from foreign countries to make application \y letter, and obtain permits before they embarked for this country. They would be allowed to apply through the diplomatic representatives here, Mr .Massey admitted that the number of Asiatic immigrants had been increasing lately, and that neither the poll tax nor education test had proved | effective in keeping them out. Much of the discussion that followed related to the possibility of excluding Chinese and other Asiatics by diplomatic agreement, instead of by. arbitrary laws. Members' 'stated ffmt the Chinese Consul bacf informed them that his ' Go,ve.yymiiemt willing to Chinese immigration into this country by treaty, but if was resented the . poll yax as being an Insult to all Climes.) people. An arrangement of this kind had been made with Canada. Members were inclined to think that if a Government arrangement could he made it would be better than a poll tax and other barriers. . . . Mr Downie Stewart (Dunedin) pointed out that the poll tax had been quite ineffective, in excluding Chinese coolies who evidently, were brought into tli« countrv by syndicates, buf it had excluded fhp hatter class of educated Chinese, who were muoh 1® 39 objectionable? , , ~ v Mr Holland (Buffer) on behalf oV the Labour Party had a good deal to say about the brotherhood of man and his dislike of colour and racial distinctions but he added that the number of Chinese entering New Zealand ought to he limited rigidly, and made subject to a sixth standard education test. licensing AMENDMENT.

The, .Licensing Amendment which intended to prevent the removal of licenses beyond the statutory limit, is awaiting its committee stage in the House. The Prime Minister said last week that he would not accept any amendment of this hill, hut his statement has not deterred Mr Lysnar (Gisborne) and Mr McCallum (Wairau) from giving notice of very extensive amendments by way of addition. Mr Lysnar proposes to move four new clauses providing that licensing polls shall be taken on a day separate from the gener >1 election; that liquor shall be sampled officially more frequently, that license (fees shall be a i ""‘' tax jTI the liquor sold, and that accommodation at hotels shall he increased. Mr McCallum has about thirty no a clauses on the order provisions of his own State Control o Licenses Bill. This Hill proposes th. recasting of the whole licensing systen on lines that Mr McCallum has nl I ready explained to the House, iu.or ! than once,