IMMIGRATION POLICY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 15 January 1931, Page 6

IMMIGRATION POLICY

FIGURES REVEALED

86,128 PERSONS ABSORBED SINCE 1921 QUESTION OF THE FUTURE One of the major questions awaiting tlie decision of the Government upon the return of the Prime Alinister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) is that of the future policy to be adopted regarding immigration into tho Dominion. Restrictions upon the entry of immigrants enforced in May, 1927, have remained in force until the present, having been carried over from December, when they would ordinarily have lapsed. The complete returns relative _ to immigration from the United Kingdom since a progressive policy was undertaken in 1921 were made available for publication on Tuesday for the first time. They reveal that no fewer than 86,128 assisted and full-fare immigrants were obsorbed in the Dominion between the years 1921-22 and 1929-30. The New Zealand Government received no less than £462,000 by way of a grant from the Imperial Government up to 31st March last, in order to assist immigrants with passage money. The peak was reached in 1926-27, when a total of 14,943 immigrants arrived in the Dominion; but the present annual quota under the restriction is limited to about 1700 assisted immigrants. EMPIRE SETTLEMENT ACT Under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922. it was made possible for the Imperial Government to co-operate with the Dominion Governments in carrying out schemes for development or settlement or for facilitating migration by assisting passages, the granting of initial allowances, or provision for special training. A new policy of Empire settlement followed the passing of tile Act under which £33,000,000 was set aside annually for 15 years by the Imperial Government for financial assistance for any agreed scheme. The New Zealand Government decided that it was impossible to have any land settlement scheme for immigrants; but on the other hand it undertook assistance of passages, for which it has received £462,000. This has been the means of enabling the cheapest fares that have ever existed in the history of the Dominion to be offered to selected immigrants. Not more than 35 per cent, of the immigrants stay in the cities, and it is understood that the Government’s policy at present prescribes a steady well-directed, but not excessive flow of men, women, and children into the Dominion. MONEY LOANED TO MIGRANTS It is of interest that the Government has also loaned £17,500 to immigrants for assistance purposes. These loans have to be repaid, and the amount already returned or being repaid is 92g per cent, of the total, so that the Government expects to have to write, off only 7J,- per cent, of the amount advanced. The Dominion’s policy for five years from 1921 was to absorb 10,000 immigrants annually, this being the number which it was considered could be taken economically without disturbing industrial conditions. At the beginning of 1926 the Reform Government decided to adopt a more progressive policy by increasing the annual quota by one-third, making it 13,500. RESTRICTIONS lAIPOSED Owing to the occurrence of depression. it was decided in May, 1927, to. restrict the immigrants to the following classes:— (1) Domestic servants and single women over the age of 40. (2) Juveniles, including parties of boys under Church and Flock House schemes. (3) Separated families. (4) Special hardship cases.

Up to last March the numbers brought out to New Zealand under the schemes for boys and girls were 2313 boys and 112 girls, the latter all going to Flock House. The number of boys brought out under the various projects are as follows :

Public and Secondary Schools ... 657 Flock House 516 Salvation Army 730 Church of England 398 Empire Exhibition Scholarship ... 12 The following table shows the number of migrants from the United Kingdom satisfactorily absorbed into New Zealand since 1920: —

Year. Assisted Full fare. 1921-22 7,005 45,555 1922-23 6,737 4,604 1923-24 6,752 4,736 1924-25 8,924 3,527 1925-26 7,685 3,280 1926-27 11,239 3,704 1927-28 3,822 2,375 1928-29 1,968 1,846 1929-30 1,790 1,579