Two-Week Immigrants’ View Of N.Z. “False”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30289, 15 November 1963, Page 14

Two-Week Immigrants’ View Of N.Z. “False”

English settlers in Christchurch agree that a young English couple failed to give the country a “fair go” before returning home to run it down, according to Mr A F Lacey, who knew the couple, Mr and Mrs R, Lakin, in Oadby, near Leicester, before they came here in September tor two weeks. , .. newspaper clipping posted to Mr Lacey quoted the couple as saying that jobs were difficult to get They had to work a 42-hour week am were forced to do overtime. They found accommodation poor and expensive, they said, and the cost of living ' was three times as high as England. an average wage being £l4 a week. The only clothing they considered worth buying was English, and this was too expensive: one could not afford to get sick because of medical expenses. "The natives hate the English so much they wouldn’t even speak to us,” Mr Lakin is quoted saying. Christchurch On Swamp Mr Lakin is also quoted as saying that Christchurch is built on a swamo and unhealthy Vrs Lakin is reported indignant about the way men treat their wives. Mr Lakin

described women as ‘‘slaves’’ to men, who went off alone on the week-ends fishing. The couple described entertainment as non-existent, except for films. But theatres rfere poor and the films had a break half-way through to allow patrons to smoke. You took your own liquor when visiting, or you got none. Mr Lakin is quoted as saying: “1 hope anyone who intends emigrating to New Zealand will be warned by our experience.” Mr Lacey, who settled in Christchurch four years ago, said this added up to a false picture for him and other English settlers he had spoken to, “They were only here two weeks,” he said “They spent one week in Christchurch and never got further than the Port hills and a few local beaches. They worked for half a day. It rained all the time they were here. “It wasn’t even the Ashing season,” he said.

Pedestrian Hurt.—A pedestrian. Mr J. Zijlstra, of 236 Gloucester street, suffered a cut on his head when he was hit by a eyclist at the corner of Tuam and High streets at 9.10 p.m yesterday He was treated at the Christchurch Hospital and discharged.