MORE IMMIGRANTS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 8

MORE IMMIGRANTS

SOLVING THE DOMESTIC SERVANT PROBLEM. , (BY ' TELEGBAHI—SPECUA COBBEBPOsbEKTO . ' Christchurch, December 29. The Athonic, .which- arrives'at .Wellington on "Wednesday, brings ■ nearly six hundred more' British immigrants, of whom 198 are booked for Wellington. . Mr. J.,E. March, tho Government Immigration "Agent, is looking forward to the vessel's arrival, for, as he told a ''Tiraos"' reporter, there is still a large demand 'for labourers and domestic workers and, judging by the fact that in four days all the immigrants by the lonic had found places, he does not' think' the Athenic's lot will have any difficulty in finding work. Mr. March says'the demand for domestic workers in New Zealand out of all proportion to the numbers' that are aijiving by steamers from England. That is. the unsatisfactory feature of the immigration which is talcing place. Only a few single women will'come forward to leavo their old homes for this country. It is not reluctanco evidently that Btands in the way. . The difficulty is in respect to finding the Bum of £10' for the passage money. The Hnwko's Bay ladies have overcomo the difficulty by the scheme which they have recently put into successful operation. Thjiy appoint a lady friend in England to select the girls. Tho friend, on the ladies' behalf, guarantees the passage money, but tho girls, before loavo, sign a promissory note for £10, which is to come out of their wages. Tho girls are then selectedj and are approved by the High Commissioner, and como to their destinations. The Auckland ladies have adopted tho same scheme, which he thinks' might bo taken up in Canterbury and all other places in tho Dominion whero domestic servants are in demand. Mr. March left Christchurch on Saturday: evening' to go to •Wellington to meet the immigrants by the Athonic on Wednesday..