Outward Drift

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 522, 27 November 1928, Page 8

Outward Drift

Immigrants Who Do Not Stay

JUST over 364 per cent, of the immigrants to New Zealand last year refused to stay. This reactionary movement, which is far above the natural outward drift of population, is traced mainly to a variety of unattractive economic conditions here, and represents for the year 1927 nearly as many as those who left the country in the previous two years. It is notable that five great majority of immigrants who return are British, while the foreigners show a desire to remain.

THE tide of human migration is as restless as the ocean; it chafes the shores of new found lands, and then recedes to older climes to spread its influence afresh. The immigrant, it seems, is a migrant by nature, and is not a fixture anywhere. But this rising and falling tide always performs its function. The flood sweeps the country and leaves in its wake a number of newcomers who, with feet firmly implanted in the new soil, set their teeth and hang on. No country retains all its immi-

grants; a certain percentage always returns. NeV Zealand shares this partial loss, and the normal outward movement of population approximates 15 per cent., though the figures lately have risen sharply. The United States has been quoted as a land of opportunity for immibut an examination of the American figures show’s that there is a big outward drift every year. Between 1916 and 1920 55 per cent, of the immigrants to the United States left the country; in 1921-25 the movement was reduced to 26 per cent., in 1926 it was 25 per cent., and last year it came down to 22 per cent. Although this Dominion is not troubled materially by foreign problems, there is a distinct indication that foreigners find living and -working conditions here more congenial than those in their own countries. Austrians, Hungarians, Czecho-Slo-

vakians and Jugo-Slavs are leaving the United States faster than they are arriving, and Italians are packing up and returning to the sunny shores of their native Italy. But in New Zealand the foreign migrants display a desire to remain, and only a few return to their original environment. The table given below indicates the general/ outward drift from New Zealand of migrants: Immigrants. Emigrants. 1922 .. .. .. .. 15.545 ' 2,150 1823 11.762 2.474 1924 14.314 2.256 1925 15.704 1,946 1926 17.563 2.551 1927 11.327 4,145 FOREIGNERS STAY ON Owing to a forced slowing up of immigration activity, the New Zealand figures fell away substantially last year, and the net gain to the country was about 7,000 Britishers and 333 foreigners. There has been a steady increase in the arrival of Jugo-Slavs in recent years, and because they found a readyplace for their labour on our public works jobs and in other departments of manual labour, they are content to remain. Two years ago 373 Jugo-Slavs arrived, and last year we received 177. Only nine left the Dominion last year. Similarly with Italians, of whom SS arrived in 1926 and 49 in 1927, and of whom only nine left last year. In spite of loud and insistent cries which were raised some time ago about the danger of Oriental migration to New Zealand, the Chinese arrivals are showing a tendency to diminish. Only six came out last yeay, and 35 left. Many of these departing Chinese had passed the age of 50 years and one was over SO —doubtless getting back to the land of their forefathers to spend the remaining years of their lives without the influence of European conditions, but with the profits of commercial ventures gained under the European trading system. THOSE WHO REMAIN World statistics show that Canada is doing more than any:other country toward British settlement, and while 3,000 miner-agriculturists are returning to the Old Country, the great majority are making good in their new surroundings, and are carving a track through the country’s difficulties toward ultimate prosperity. The drift from New Zealand, as Will be observed by the figures, is not so pronouced as in the older and larger countries, but if the immigration from England of miners or any other class is undertaken on a lafge scale, it is safe to assume that this country will experience a happening similar to that of Canada, where 8,000 miners have developed home-sickness and fled. Not all will stay. But New Zealand is getting its share, and thosewho do remain and succeed will assist materially in the development of our commerce and trade and will fit in nicely to the life of this young nation.