SOLDIERS CONCERNED.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 17, 9 July 1920, Page 3

SOLDIERS CONCERNED.

STOPPAGE OF ADVANCES. PROTEST AGAJNST ASIATIC INFLUX A meeting of the Wairarapa branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association was held on June 29th to discuss the stoppage of advances under the soldiers' settlement scheme and Asiatic immigration. Mr J. A. Cowles, who presided, said the ^Government was averse to advancing more money for the purchase of land because they contended that the nineteen millions already spent had had the effect of bumping up land values. The men who had rl'rained from ibuying land from prudential reasons — who were saving their gratuities and taking advantage of the high wages now offering with a view to buying land when values went down — would be' hard hit if the scheme were discontinued. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr J. M'Kenzie, it was resolved : -"That this meeting of returned soldiers, having taken into consideration the statements of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Lands regarding the finances of the Dominion and the possible effect of the contintianee of the present scheme of advances under the D.S.S. Act in further increasing the price of land, still considers that the only equitable and honourable course open to Parliament is (a) to make the benefits of the D.S.S. Act available to all soldiers at present entitled to these benefits and so to avoid penalising the many soldiers who have but recently returned to New Zealand, or have lately been released from hospital, or have lately ' completed their period of training under the Repatriation Department and (b) to provide that any loss incurred in so doing shall he borne by the country as a whole." The question of Asiatic immigration was referred to by Mr J. Hebenton, who pointed out that the Chinese immigrants were seriously affecting returned soldiers. It was certainly high time that the Government took action. The Premier usually avoided the " problem by saying that it would cause international complications, but the question was so serious that Mr Massey simply must take it in hand. They saw a lot of Hindus about Masterton who were engaged by certain farmers as scrub-cutters. Some people contended that because Indians had f ought beside us in the war they were entitled to the freedom of this country, but it was an undeniable fact that no white country could successfully support a black race without detriment to the existing population. The habits and customs of Asiatics enabled them to live more cheaply that white men, and their infiuence here could only lower the general standard of living and keep the white man out of work. The chairman said that he agreed with the previoas speaker, and was in complete accord with any movement that might be made. He was, however, afraid that only a strong right arm in the form of the Navy would stem a movement that was world wide. Even if the poll-tax were raised to £1000 it would not deter Chinese from coming here. Other speakers referred to the case of an Auckland soldier whose tender had been turned down by the Iving George Hospital authorities in favour of one-by a Chinaman. The opinion was expressed that the root of the trouble lay in the disposition of employers to employ

the cheapest labour. The following resolution was carried, on the motion oi Mr Hebenton : "That this meeting draws the attention of the Government to the increasing number of Hindus arriving in New Zealand, and requests that the Immigration Restriction Act be amended to stop without further clelay the immigration of Hindus and Chinese, and affirm the principle of a white New Zealand."