HALT IN MIGRATION

Wairarapa Age, 19 February 1927, Page 5

HALT IN MIGRATION

TILL OUTLOOK CLEARS. PREMIER’S ANNOUNCEMENT TO DEPUTATION. “THE FUTURE VERY HOPEFUL.” AUCKLAND. February 18. A large deputation which waited on the Prime Minister in regard, to unemployment this afternoon urged that the situation throughout the country was serious. It was stated that in Auckland province alone, four thousand men were out of work.

One speaker said they had no objection to immigrants; many of the deputation had themselves been immigrants, but it was no time for immigration when the country was in such a bad way. There were one thousand timber

workers unemployed. Various sugges tions were made for relieving the situ-

Replying, Mr. Coates said ho had made certain suggestions to the Minister of Labour and Minister of Public M'orks for bettering the situation, and he hoped to make these public, in a few

days. The reason New Zealand found itself in the present position was purely economic.

“I admit that migration has a direct bearing on the number who find employment,” continued Mr. Coates. “It has been decided that from May we will cut out all immigration for four or five months. If it is found then that the economic situation is more hopeful the scheme will be resumed, and if the position is no better, it will be further withheld.” At the same time he disputed the statement that men in New Zealand were being replaced by immigrants. He knew of an instance where there were 350 positions vacant in the country, and for these there were but ten applicants. Those positions had therefore to be filled by immigrants. The future he believed was very hopeful.—(P.A.)

A CONFUSION OF ISSUES. UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE ROYAL VISIT. CHRISTCHURCH, February 18. The Labour Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. J. K. Archer) told a deputation representing the unemployed to-day that they were making the same mistake in confusing the unemployment issue with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York, as other unemployed leaders had made in confusing it with Communism. Mr. Hills, a member of the deputation, said he was a loyal British subject, but he disagreed with the proposed expenditure on the entertainment of the Royal visitors when there was so much unemployment and distress. The Mayor replied that the Duke and Duchess were coming as guests of the Dominion and ninety-five per cent, of the residents of Christchurch wished to extend generous hospitality to the Royal visitors. People and local bodies who had subscribed money to entertain the Royal visitors would bo no less generous to the unemployed on that account.—(P.A.)