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The Spike or Victoria University College Review 1945

Position in New Zealand

page 34

Position in New Zealand

What of the present position in New Zealand? Official figures are not available, but the writer has been closely associated with the problem since its inception. (Note.—The following estimates are based purely on personal knowledge and are not official.) New Zealand has admitted between 1,000 and 1,100 refugees. Roughly one half were German, about 250 Austrian, of the balance the only groups of any appreciable size would be Czechs, Poles and Hungarians. These refugees are distributed approximately as follows:—Auckland 300, Wellington 450, Christchurch 100, Dunedin 50. No other centre would have a group exceeding 50. It is difficult to be accurate, but it can be gathered that about 50 have served in the Armed Forces. Occupations range from trade and manufacturing to agriculture, arid include a sprinkling in most of the professions. Their earnings have been moderate, and I doubt whether a single New Zealander has been displaced. Certainly no returned soldier can be prejudiced, for the law provides that he must be reinstated in his pre-war job. Approximately 200 would be working on their own account, and 400 in employment. Many who volunteered for military service were not accepted.