EUROPEAN MIGRANTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1938, Page 7

EUROPEAN MIGRANTS

NO PLANS MADE AFFECTING DOMINIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER DENIES INTERVIEW INDIVIDUAL APPLICATONS BEING CONSIDERED (Received This Day 9.50 a.m.) ■ LONDON, October 19. The Associated Press is authorised by a high official quarter to state that no plan, for the large-scale absorption by the Dominions of Sudeten political refugees has either been drawn up or is under consideration. The most that can be expected is special consideration will be given to individuals conforming to existing requirements. Despite sympathetic statements by Mr M. J. Savage and others, it is known that no Dominion is prepared to relax regulations. The New Zealand High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, denied the “Daily Herald’s” interview, and said “I merely told the ‘Herald’ representative that while New Zealand would continue to consider individual applications, it was impossible to undertake any largescale scheme or to promise to find employment.” New Zealand House and Australia House both are- receiving applications from Central Europeans, at the rate of fifty daily. They refuse to release information regarding the numbers accepted but there is reason for believing that these recently have risen above normal. Many of the applicants are professional men, and others with means. CZECH MIGRATION. BRITISH AND CANADIAN INTENTIONS. LONDON, October 19. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” understands that the Government is prepared to allow 300 Czech refugees from Sudetenland to settle in England. It is believed Canada has also intimated that she is prepared to take a portion of the refugees, provided they are adequately financed, for establishment as farmers. BRITISH LABOUR INQUIRY. RUGBY, October 18. Mr David Grenfell, on behalf of the Parliamentary Labour Party, visit-, ed the Foreign Office in connection with the question of refugees in Czechoslovakia. He will return to Prague tomorrow. Agreement with the statement of the High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, that New Zealand was prepared to admit as many Czech refugees as possible to the limit of its requirements, was expressed by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, in an interview last evening. “Mr Jordan’s statement is sound, and I agree' with what he says,” said Mr Savage. “Our first duty is to the British people, and after that we will naturally do what we can for others. Although I have had representations by individuals, no official overtures have so far been made to the New Zealand Government to admit refugees from Czechoslovakia into this country.”