THE ARAWA'S PASSENGERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1909, Page 8

THE ARAWA'S PASSENGERS.

Of the 335 passengers by the Arawa from London to-day, 283 were in the third-class. Of these, 75 adults and 31 children came out tinder the assisted sy&tem. Friends in New Zealand nominated 41 adults, and the other 34 (most of them women) were sent oat by the High Commissioner. Fourteen married women have arrived to rejoin their husbands, and many of them are accompanied by children. Twenty-four of the immigrants are described as domestics. There were nine farmers on board the vessel, and each has some little capital. The assisted passengers were met on arrival by Mr. A. A. S. Danby, of the Immigration Department, and Mr. Procter and Miss Bremner, of the Labour Department. The domestics have all come to New Zealand to fill situations provided for them before they left England.

A male infant was born on the R.M.S. Arawa on the 21st ult. — ten days before the ship reached Hobart. Its parents were travelling in the third, class. "Here is a practical illustration of the cost of living," said a worker to a Post, representative. "I get 8s a day for six days a week, and I have a wife and four children. This is what I do with it : Bent 16s (and that is cheaper than some people can get it for), groceries 14s, milk (12 quarts) 2s 4d, meat (once a day only) 6s, coal and wood 2s 6d (very small computation), vegetables 3s, lighting Is (very cheap), bread 3s. That makes a total of £2 7s lOd, and I only get £2 Bs. That leaves mo twopence to play with. ' ' Artificial teeth, second-hand, were a "soio snap" at Shortt's on Saturday afternoon, when "unclaimed luggage was on offer. There was naturally not much bite in the bidding for such lots, not unusually very palatable to the average bargain-hunter, but half a dozen sets that had been left in steamers' cabins by absent-minded wayfarers found new owners, at slaughter rates. The teeth did not grip anything better than about a florin per set. Other goods, however, had better luck. Altogether, about _ six hundred , lots were put up, comprising miscellaneous articles left on the hands of the Union Company, the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, and the Public Trustee. The goods ranged from pyjamas to portmanteaux, and the hoisting of some of the garments to the gaze of a mixed congregation of about three hundred people raised much laughter. Tho fun began, soon after 1 o'clock, and f the curtain did not fall till after 5 o'clock, by which time every lot had been knocked down. The gathering was in speculative mood, and had a keen interest in competing for parcels, swags, or bags "on the blind," on the off-chance of finding something of value inside. As an instance of the gambling spirit, one article, wrapped up, brought 3s 6d. Another, of exactly the same kind and quality, opened up and fullydisplayed to the assembly, attracted I only 2s. Apropos the fact that the steamer Victoria, which arrived at Auckland yesi terday from Sydney, brought only an 'Australian mail, it may be mentioned that the commercial people of Wellington are frequently annoyed at what they regard as the somewhat easy attitude of the post office in regard to the arrival of mails. The official explanation is this : When the boat leaving Sydney for Auckland connects with the English mail the post office at Wellington is advised accordingly (at the expense of the New Zealand department), and the information is published as soon as possible in the local papers. When the boat leaving Sydney for Auckland does not make the connection with the English mail the post office at Sydney does not advise the Wellington office. The Wellington office knows thereby that, barring accidents, the mail connection has not been made, but it does not go the ono step further and adviuo the news. *»»p«e accordingly,,