REFUGEES AS IMMIGRANTS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1939, Page 6

REFUGEES AS IMMIGRANTS.

QOME reproaches are cast at New Zealand from time to time on account of its having done so little in the way of offering new homes Io European refugees. Can it be said that these reproaches are wholly unmerited’? Some pertinent observations bn the subject were made the other evening in Wellington, by Air I’. Holloway, a Now Zealander recently returned from London where he served on a committee dealing with refugees. Mentioning that in Europe at present there were approximately 1,500,000 refugees, and anyhere up to five or six million potential refugees, Air Holloway urged that New Zealand had a duty in this matter because it was one of the few countries in the world tit to receive immigrants and that the admission of refugees would contribute to the building up of industries and would in other ways improve our economic position. Apart from the question of humanity that is involved —a question not lightly to be ignored—it seems very probable that the Dominion is injuring its material interests in neglecting to go methodically into the question of admitting refugees as immigrants, 'rhe. policy of merely admitting indiscriminately ('ven limited numbers of Jewish and other European refugees admittedly could hardly be expected to commend itself to the people of this country. This, however, by no means exhausts possibilities. Amongst the refugees are people who are versed in many branches of industry and trade. New Zealand is endeavouring Io expand her industrial organisation and is’ hampered considerably by deficiencies of technical knowledge and experience and by a shortage of skilled workers. It should, lie possible, in these circumstances, to arrange for the introduction of European refugees as immigrants, under well-devised plans which would ensure the establishment and extension of industries and would broaden, instead of narrowing, I lie field of available productive employment in the Dominion. The whole question plainly is worth going into methodically, It deserves the attention of the Government from a standpoint equally of humanity and of practical enterprise.