Immigration Rules.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1922, Page 4

Immigration Rules.

STRANGE SCHEME UNCOVERED

VANCOUVER. Feb. 7

While the United States and Canadian Governments are somewhat perplexed on the subject of immigration legislation there has been announced in Ottawa. the uncovering of a. daring scheme on the part of certain European countries to make the North American Continent a dumping-ground for economic undesirables, and it id stated that an organisation of a large scale has been developed in Canada, and the United States for circumventing the restrictive measures taken to protect the quality of Canadian and United States citizenship. Roth Ottawa and Washington have been besieged whenever such an immigrant is marked for deportation,, and the influences have been strong enough in the past to secure admittance when English-speaking men are turned hack for lack of friends. There developed as well, in Canada, a'.n organisation for smuggling these people from Canada into the United States after a certain residence in border cities. This industry has become more perilous of late, because United States immigration officials have been more closely scrutinising those entering the United States from Canada as to their citizenship and country of origin. Tt is also loss lucrative, because Canadian immigration officials are cooperating in this! matter by holding people of this sort who are not wanted in the United States, and who are suspected of having flic United States ns the ultimate destination.

Many of these people are automatically kept out of the United States by the so-called 3 per cent, of that class already in the United States, as shown by the 1910 census. When the quota is filled no more can come, and therefrom arise the devious devices to heat the law.

In Canada a similar principle will be advised by the immigration officials, it, is understood, hut there will he important, modifications which will make the Canadian policy a frankly selective one. As it is argued that the immigration policy should he based on the needs of the country, the proposal is that Canada, should admit alien immigrants in numbers hearing a fixed percentage relation to the actual, number of each nationality engaged in agricultural work in Canada, as shown by the census. This would favour such people as the Danes, who have contributed largely of their Canadian emigrants to the farming population, and it would almost shut off refugees from Continental cities, who would increase and make more burdensome the problems of Canadian cities. So far as the British Isles are concerned, all farmers, farm labourers, and

rural dwellers will bo welcomed, says this Ottawa statement, as well as immigrants from British cities, if the latter have plenty of money or are going to assured positions. Preferential treatment will also, it is expected, be extended to the United/ States and to British self-governing Dominions. There seems every reason to expect a large number of British rural dwellers in Canada, because the war has broken' loose the ties and attachment to , the sod of many of these to a great extent. Canadian opportunities are being canvassed as never before, and immigrants from the countries mentioned will he welcomed.