RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1921, Page 5

RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION.

GOVERNMENT TO “MARK TIME.” DANGER OF UNEMPLOYMENT. The Minister in Charge Inmigration (Hon. W. Nosworthy) announced on Wednesday that in view of the difficulty likely to be met with in securing accommodation and employment during the winter months, Cabinet had decided to modify its immigration policy by restricting passages to those immigrants who had assured employment and accommodation to go to on arrival in the Dominion. “So far. the Immigration Department has experienced very little difficulty (if any) in dealing with new arrivals,” said the Minister, and this is all the more gratifying when it is considered that from April 1, 1920, to March 31, 1921, some 9543 immigrants have landed on our shores. Of this number 4730 came out under the nomination system, and 4813 under the Imperial Overseas Settlement Scheme. In view, however, of the present outlook in the Dominion, it is considered advisable to ‘mark time’ in the meanwhile.”

WORK FOUND FOR WAIMANA’S COMPLEMENT. FOUR OTHER CONTINGENTS AFLOAT. Contrary to expectations, the Immigration Department has succeeded in finding? situations for the whole of the complement of immigrants who arrived in the Dominion recently on the steamer W T aimana. The Railway Department took a good number of the men, while the Westport Coal Company placed the majority of the miners and a fair number of unskilled men, the latter being taken on as truckers. Auckland ’’’strict took most of the farm laborers, all of whom were absorbed. Private contract work at Oamaru and Greymouth absorbed 25 unskilled laborers. Having disposed of the Waimana'a. contingent, the department is now faced with the problem of finding work for some 300 immigrants who are due to arrive by the Shropshire on Saturday. The steamer is bringing 53 nominated passengers, 107 other assisted passengers, and 130 ex-imperial soldiers, who are coming out under the overseas settlement scheme. Included in,the last two categories are no fewer than 90 farm laborers, and how to place them is, a Dominion reporter was informed, considerably exercising the department’s officers. The other skilled workers mostly comprise miners, turners and fitters, while the overseas settlement passengers represent about as many different trades and callings as there are men.

This month will be a busy one for the department, for, in addition to the Shropshire, the Tainui is due on April 16 with a small number of overseas settlement and nominated passengers, and the Remuera on April 21 with a much larger complement, comprising 523 immigrants. Still another steamer, carrying immigrants, the lonic, is oh the water, and she is due at Wellington on May 8. The other steamers mentioned are also making Wellington their first port of call in the Dominion. The lonic is bringing only a limited number of immigrants, as she has not been specially fitted out for the traffic.