IMMIGRATION POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1921, Page 5

IMMIGRATION POLICY.

ATTITUDE OF THE R.S.A. . THE INFLUX OF ASIATICS. “The important question of ex-Im-i perial immigration and of Asiatic immigration,” states the annual report of the Now Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, “has given your association much cause for deep thought during the past year, as it forms one of the vital questions of the day. All medically fit ex-Imperial .soldiers are eligible to apply for assisted passage to New Zealand; but preference is now being shown to those who can prove that they are coming to assured positions, or to friends. It is being clearly pointed out to them that it is absurd to come to New Zealand, with the idea of immediately getting a job. As the bottom has fallen out of the labor market, owing to post-war conditions, the local Immigration Department is having a hard problem to solve in settling war comrades in positions. Among the immigrants are many welcome artisans and miners, but even these are finding a difficulty in securing a job, owing to the general stagnation. Recently your association suggested to the Minister irt Charge that a slowing down was necessary, in view of the amount of unemployment here, and he has agreed to give instructions to that effect. * The policy of the N.Z.R.S.A. regarding ex'-linperial soldiers is clear and defined. The N.Z.R.S.A. maintains (1) that all N.Z.E.F. men must be repatriated. and satisfied first; (2) that all South African Contingenters shall be repatriated next; and (3) that the benefits of Repatriation and D.S.S. Art be then extended to ex-imperial men. It is considered that with the present repatriation machinery considerable 'bene- - fit might be conferred on those men in future. “The Asiatic is a serious rival to returned soldiers in the fruit and vegetable trade, consequently Asiatic immigration is always in direct contact with the N.Z.R.S.A. At the Dominion executive meeting in November, 1920, the Asiatic question was fully disclosed. A method by which the population ratio between New Zealanders and Asiatic could be kept constant, was propounded, and met with some support. The present Chinese population is 3500, while that of the Hindus is 1500; total, 5000. As the population of New Zealand is at present about 1,200,000, the ratio of Asiatic population is .42 per cent, of the white population. The number of Asiatics allowed to land would be determined by this constant ratio of the population as determined iby the census. Thug the census of 1921 showed the population to be 1,200,500; then the number of Asiatics allowed to bo in New Zealand would be .42 per cent, of 1.210,500, i.e., 5440. As there are about 5000 Asiatics here now, only 440 would be allowed to land in five years (until next census was taken).