TRANSPLANTED PEOPLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1913, Page 7

TRANSPLANTED PEOPLE.

OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM. DETECTS AND POSSIBILITIES. THE METHODS OF SELECTION. t ~ A live topic in New Zealand just now is the question of immigration, more especially ac the Government now in power lias laid stress upon the fact that the Immigration Department has been hacded over to a member of the Cabinet •who is an enthusiast in these matters. During the past few days a "Star" reporter hiis made exhaustive inquiries as to the eflieaey of the system, and somie valuable suggestions have resulted. These are given added interest by the lecent pronouncement of the Minister an Charg-e o-f Immigration (the Hon. H. D. Bell), in regard to the selection of the Girltj' Friendly Society's homes at the four leading ports to be subsidised places for the Teception of girl immigrants: also by some opinione expressed by the Minister during hie visit to Auckland and published in last night's "Star," and by some rather startling evidence which was given before the Empire Trade Commission in Wellington recently, as to alleged unsatisfactory features of the system of supervision at sea. \ r '■ THE NEEDS OF NEW ZEALAND. It was made clear to the Commission that the outstanding needs of this Dominion in regard to its working population are domestics and farm labourers. An estimate submitted by the Undersecretary for Immigration plased the requirements for farm work at 6,000, and for domestic service at about 10,000. The Pressman, therefore, sought for opinions concerning the process of selection in England. He met with an Englishman holding a responsible position in Auckland who travelled out as a first-class passenger on a steamer which was bringing immigrants in her third-class quarters. " I am quite convinced that the right class of people are not being secured to swell the population of thie country," he remarked, and in doing so explained that his work had taken him into the rural parts of England, Ireland and Scotland. "The money spent by New Zealand," he proceeded, " is being largely consumed by boom advertising in the cities, with the result that town-bred people are attracted as immigrants instead of the rural class who would make ever 30 much better citizens for a developing country like this." The officials in charge of the movement at the other end, he said, were altogether on the wrong track. Why did they not go into the country districts at fair time, and make known the great agricultural possibilities of this Dominion. He referred to the custom in Scotland and Ireland to hold annual fairs lasting some days in various farming districts for the sale of ciittle and farm products. Such occasions, he thought, would present magnificent opportunities for recruiting a sound class of immigrant. He had been told by responsible , officers that sixty or seventy per cent o.f the immegrants located themselves in the cities of New Zealand and Australia, instead of helping to develop the primary resources of the country. • THE BEAjRTH OF DOMESTICS. The visiting Trade Commission was told by Ali.-s Bremner, la<ly supervisor of immigration under t'ne Labour Department, thai, in her experience not half the g-irJti engaged to came as assisted immigrants for domestic service in New Zealand actually go to that form of service after arrival. They were, she said, supposed to report themselves to the Department, but in an instance under her notice, only one girl out of those who came out on three immigrant ships had done so. Siie also stated that she had observed very unsatisfactory conditions for-Bupervinion of passengers while on the voyagp. When asked what she meant, M:?s Bromncr replied, ''Oh, the men and women are all mixed up together/ The reporter was told by some prominent officials of institutions in Auckland, which frequently deal with immigrant girls, that they believed Mise Bremnpr's evidence to be entirely justified. At the same time they agreed that the problem of effective supervision was a difficult one, particularly as a proportion of undesirables frequently got into the immigrant batches. "We have noticed a et.itfmput l>y the Minister." they said, "to tlie effect that life inquiries of shipping ro-mpames and officials have failed to boar out JH&S Bremner'e suggestions. Well, we think it only natural that the shipping companies would be hardly likely to criticise the discipline prevailing , on their own ve?ee!s. Certain cases that have come under our notice undoubtedly justify Mice Bremner'e coimTneffts. and we hope that they will be taken ac seriously as they deserve." Some immigrants who have already started well in the land of their adoption were spoken to, and it was found that their -travelling experiences varied according to the reputation of the vessels on which they travelled. The good name of an immigrant steamer would tlius apnear to be an important asset. The methods of supervision on some are much more -effective than on others, and ■therefore extreme care has to be taken in the making of comparisons. SUGGESTED REMEDIES. While some of the young women Spoken to were reticent on the question of the general standard of conduct on ■board, they all agreed in the contention that the weakest point in the system was the lack of sufficient chaperonage. "The boat that w e travelled on," said one of two sisters, "had about 300 women, with only one matron to look after Uβ. One or two small parties of girls, v.lio- had taken passage under the auspices of societies which interest tlsemselres in the emigration of girls, had matrons of their own, but, unfortunately, they showed an inclination to look down on the 'Government girls,' a<3 &ey termed the other,?. This feeling between syndicate girls and Government girls does not encourage happiness, and it would surely be better for the Immigration Department to appoint sufficient matrons to effectively take care of all the girls on board." Another girl remarked that the only matron on board her steamer wae a very poor sailor, and a 8 the passage happened to be rough, "er services were valueless. In this instance an unfortunate phase was that the matron was supposed to fulfil the dual position of matron and stewardero? for the whole of the third-class female passengers. Consequently, when she was indisposed, some of the married women had to be looked after by their husbands, much to the confusion of . other female passengers in the same cabins. Special accommodation for married couples is not made on immigrant snips, and it will be .better imagined than explained how such happenings as that quoted wonld possibly provide food for MandaL At any irate, the suggestion.

concerning the provision for more extensive oversight of girls would appeal as worthy of consideration. HOW <TO SELECT (DOMESTICS. "The .man. at the immigration office at' Home told mc that trained domestice could get £2 a week, and that even girls without special training would be snapped up at 25/ per week," was the remark of a recent arrival, still chafing under the pangs of disappointment. She has no special training, neither hae she consummated the dream of the voyage by securing a place with little work and lots of payment. This phase of the case was intelligently discussed by a more elderly woman, who came out in the capacity of matron, and remained, to settle here (ac most of the matrons do). She expressed -the opinion that the present Byatem of eelectdon. was farcical, inasmuch as all a girl had to do in order to secure Government assistance to New Zealand wae to forward an application to the High Coanmiceioner's ofiicee in London. In turn, she would be asked to forward testimonials, and later would doubtless be advised that a berth had been reserved for her on such and such a boat. "Win , does not your Government send to England a capable New Zealand woman to choose and reject women who are willing to come out here?" she asked. In her opinion, it needed a woman's intuition to decide whether an applicant would eucceed in a country 16,000 miles away from their homes. "I am quite sure," the added, "that many of the girls now arriving would not be encouraged to come if such a system were in force, and it would be fairer to themselves, as -well as to the people of New Zealand, if they were not." The opinion was expressed that city girls, who have been at eervice in homes where four or five girls are kept, are not suit■nble for general service in colonial homes. Other instances of disappointment on account of wrong impressions secured from the immigration officials in London, were aleo met with, and the opinion was expressed, more than once, that the latter were but poorly acquainted with conditions in thie country.