ENTRY OF ALIENS TO AUSTRALIA

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5309, 23 January 1947, Page 5

ENTRY OF ALIENS TO AUSTRALIA

* (Press Assn

CONFLICTING VIEWS STATEMENTS CONCERNING ALLEGED RACKET

.. — Rec. 9.80 p.m.)

SYDNEY, Jan. 22. Statements cabled yesterclay ccncerning alleged rackets by aben organisations in immigrat'on, have produced a number of c; nflicting statements in the press this morning. The Sydney Herald reports Commonwealth officers in Sydney as saying that it is well known that there are two rival organisations in Australia, one representing White and the other Red Russians. Both are closely watched by the Commonwealth investigation branch. A high official said it was known that a number of rofugees who had been admitted into Australia since the war possessed eonsiderable wealth. The ' Crown solicitor, Mr. G. A. Waston, said that he had no official knowledge of rival organisations or o! an immigration racket. The Commonwealth investigation branch officers in Canberra said that there had *l)een 110 Commonwealth investigation into the two organisations mentioned. There were several legal organisations in Australia which s ponsored immigration. It was true that one migrant had £10,000 in his possession which, however, he had dseclared. The Minister of Immigration, Mr. C'alwell, said that there were 200 people still in Shanghai with permits to enter Australia. In Shanghai altogether were 15,00'0 Jewish or part Jewish refugees of which 5000 were going to America, 4000 to Palestine and 3000 back to Europe. Only 700 Australiait landing per•niis had been issued, including those to people who had already reached here, and to passengers aboard the teamer Hwalien, formerly the Maori, iue in Sydney on Saturday. Mr. Calwell denied a report euvrent in England that the recent immigration conference in Canberra had agreed to the abandonment of the plan for large-scale immigration. All the conference did was*to allo-c-ate 6000 berths, which would be available in 1947. Alternative means of transpon by sea and air were considered to bring to Australia to Australia 46,000 people, whose services were needed. Big Commonwealth Scheme For Migrants Breaks Down SYDNEY, Jandavy 22. It is now plain that the grandiose scheme to make Australia a haven for large numbers of carefully.selected migrants from the British Isles has broken down. After a long and enduring feud with a skeptical Press, the Immigration Minister, Mr. Calwell, has been f'orced to admit to immigration off icials that shipping facilities are inadequate to bring out more than a seventh of the number originally promised. But the Press has been unex1 eetedly magnanimous. Mr. Calwell Is receiving full credit for his energy an 1 for his patience and perseveranee in the initial planning. Apparently, however, serious miscalculations were made early in the programme as regards the amount of shipping available. Estimates Reduced Had these faulty figures not been adhered to, Mr. Calwell could have made bis present task more easy. Actually his original promise envisaged 70,000 immigrants a year. But this was later tempered to 35-,fX)0 in 1947. The Commonwealth migration conference settled itself last August to deal with this number. A month ago Mr. Calwell denied with characteristic vehemence that the 1947 objective wa^ being reduced to 10,000, and declared that he would never agree to a figure as low as that heing regarded as sufficient for Australia's needs. He set. the number of people who could be absorbed into employment in Australia at 46,631 which, with dcpendents, represented 120,000, men, women and children A statement from Mr. Beasley, Australian High Commissioner in the .United Kingdom, disposed of these grandiose dreams by submitting an estimate of the aceommodation provided by British ship ovvnevs. This 'showed that berths during 1947 would tolal 9250 only. Some Ministers are of opinion that actual arrivals will not exeeed 6000. o Britain Unwilling Australians are realising also that Britain is unwilling to be bled white of the finest types of young artisans. Tlm suggestion from the United Kingdom High Commissioner, Mr. Edward Williams, that Australia should allow some of the 100,000 homeless Poles now in England. to settle in Australia would not " make Mr. Calwell happier as he rn-ust know that the British Governemnt has tried unsuccessfully to pass these worrying and expensive squatters to Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. That Mr. CaHvell has liberal views regarding the immigration of aliens is indieated by his attitude to s-pon-sored immigrants from Europe and the Far East. It is likely that revelations arising from the Federal inquiry now being held into immigration from the Far East will prevent many more refugees from entering by this means. Mr. Calwell has already announced the curtailment of landing permits in the Far East. Arrival of the steamer Hwalien (formerly the Maoi'i), which is disembarking passengers at Sydney, may rouse a storm of protest, -as ccxmpiaints are already coming* thiough

from other Australian ports, but these are unlikely to deter Mr. Calwell from following any churse he Kas chosen. Despite initial mistakes, Ahstralia's immigration scheme will g'o on until the flow of shipping in adequbte to meet all needs.