NEWS ABOUT IMMIGRANTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 121, 20 November 1908, Page 7

NEWS ABOUT IMMIGRANTS.

THE RUAPEHU'S PASSENGERS. There are still a few tradesmen arriving whose callings are but little practised in New Zealand, if practised at all, while others arrive whose trades or professions are already overstocked. Clerks, linen weavers, and gasmeter makers are amongst the latest instances, and batches of carpenters and joiners have struck a sluggish labour market. There is, however, still an undiminished demand for farm labourers. Mr. M'Keowen, of the men's employment branch of the Labour Department, told a Post reporter to-day that he had placed several competent men on farms lately. Ai present the department could place good labourers at pick and shovel work on the Gisborne and Seddon railwajyi lines, but not a great many were) required. Of the Ruapehu's immigrants, very few have called on. the Labour Depurtment. The probability is that most of them had friends and relations in New Zealand to whom they hastened. Twenty-five- have placed their names on the books of the department. Amongst them were six carpenters and joiners, one coachbuilder, two clerks, one enginedriver and boilermaker, one market gardener, one shop assistant, two tinsmiths, one pattern, maker, one gasmeter maker, six farm labourers, and a number of general labourers. The farm hands wore placed immediately, except in oases where difficulty was experienced in getting them to take the work. South African farm hands have been noticeable amongst recent arrivals ; every steamer brings them. The market gardener was fortunate- in finding on the department's books a job, at "Napier, which was in his line. Three carpenters and joiners were found work at Port Chalmers, and one at invercargill.