The Press. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1874.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2730, 8 May 1874, Page 2

The Press. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1874.

Oub attention has been called to an article in the " Tablet," contradicting certain statements made by the " Otago Daily Times" respecting the female immigrants by the Asia. The "Daily Times," in its issue of the UOth ult., informed its readers that of the single women on board the Asia (which arrived at Port Chalmers on the 27th) thirty-three were selected from the Queenstown Beformatory. In the same paragraph was published an extract from the "Tipperary Advocate" to the effect that two hundred young females had embarked on board the ship Asia, at Queens town, to sail for New Zealand, and that one hundred of them came from the Cork workhouse. The " Daily Times" speaks in very strongterms of "the utter reckless- " neee and indiscretion shown in selecting << immigrants " j of the v imporfcatioa

"of certificated scum"; and of the already sufficiently rapid increase of immorality and crime, "without? " granting free passages to import the " double-distilled article." To this tbe "Tablet" replies that there happens to be no Reformatory at all at Queenstown, so that no female immigrants could possibly have beenj imported from thence. As to the assertions of tbe "Tipperary Advocate," it points out that, as the whole number of single women brought from Ireland by the Asia was but eighty-six, it cannot be true that two hundred of them came from the Cork workhouse. The writer concludes by a vigorous protest against the manner in which the character of the Irish immigrants has been blackened by what he designates as a calumny. The " Tablet" certainly has good ground for complaint. Such statements as were made by our southern contemporary ought never to have been allowed to appear unless known to be undeniable facts; still less should they have been made the subject of such strongly worded comment. We do not know on what authority the "Daily Times" announced that thirty-three immigrants had been brought from the Queenstown [Reformatory. If, however, as the "Tablet" affirms, there is no such place, tbe authority, though described as "the very best," can scarcely be thought reliable. As to the other matter, the exaggeration (to I say the very least) was palpable.' For the number of immigrants on board the Asia had been published in ! the " Times'" own shipping report only two days before. It was there stated that the Asia shipped her passengers at London and Queenstown, and that the number of single women taken on board at Queenstown was eighty-six. The writer of the paragraph must therefore have been aware, when reprinting the extract from the Tipperary paper, that he was giving currency to an untruth. Nor do we find anything recorded by our contemporary elsewhere respecting these immigrants which confirms his accusations against them. On the contrary, his columns bear strong testimony in their favor. The shipping reporter, of the. "Daily Times," after inspecting the Asia on her arrival, and learning particulars as to the passengers, expressed a very high opinion of them. He admitted that there had been some instances of ill-behaviour —though it is not stated that they occurred among the young women—but expressly said that the misconduct was confined to a veryfew. "Such " ashipload of human beings," he wrote, "has not been landed on these shores " for many, many months, nor healthier "looking, and in other respects of "generally good appearance. 467 " souls, all told, is the number, and *' considering its magnitude, it is not "surprising that a few of them showed " the cloven hoof while on board." But he hastened to explain that the last remark was far from applying to the immigrants as a body, "with a " few exceptions," he continued, " the " immigrants by Asia have con- " ducted themselves in an exemplary " manner ;T?hile on board. Dr Flint "was lavish of His encomiums on the "conduct of the married people, and " spoke highly also of the general • c conduct of the single men and " women." The Doctor's praises were borne 'out by the .state of the compartments, which the reporter found remarkable for their "cleanliness and «f general tidiness." The single, women's compartment was "especially clean and "neat." , Cleanliness, neatness, exemplary conduct—what more could be desired ?;~ Yet in the teeth of this emphatic testimony, the " Daily " Times "does not s hesitate to de* nounce these young,women- as a set of reprobates. It holds them up to the public, as " certificated, scum." On mere hearsay, or on obviously false report, it taxes, them with crime and immorality; and they enter on their new life in the colony only, to find their reputations befouled, and themselves branded as the refuse of workhouses and reformatories. Let the reader reflect tor & moment in what a cruel position these immigrants are placed; assailed I with imputations whichinvolveall alike; ! which they may have no means of refuting, and which leave them under a most disgraceful stigma. To have come out ,in the Asia will be enough to set a black mark for life against a woman's name. We hear, indeed, that these unfortunate immigrants find great t difficulty in obtaining situations, since no; lady will; ; engager a servant, whom the papers, tell her has been imported from a reformatory or Workhouse. We protest against the inhumanity of such charges. Jtf th ey were defined and substantiated, so that it would be clear to whom they applied and on what grounds they were alleged, arid if they were advanced under a plain sense of duty, the case would be different. A journalist's first obligations are to the public; and he j must hot, from tenderness doals, shrink from exposing what'is detrimental to the public interests. But these statements appear to us inspired by quite other motives. They Are thrown out at random, without attempt : at discrimination, without evidence and even; mD the face of evidence. TTnde£ an appearance of zeal, for the benefit of. the colony, they betray an extreme readiness to gratify a feeling against the Agent-General, and to catch at every possible nity of charging him with negligence or inefficiency. .