NEW ARRIVALS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 14, 17 January 1921, Page 7

NEW ARRIVALS

PAKEHA'S IMMIGRANTS

DEPARTMENT'S SYSTEM DESCRIBED

A "PATERNAL" CARE.

After a, fair, but uneventful, thirty-six days' passage from London, the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's liner Paksiia, with 872 immigrants aboardi, dropped anchor in the "Wellington Harbour early yesterday morning. The trip had been exceptionally favoured until within ISO miles of Wellington, when first, a strong north-westerly, which afterwards changed .to a southerly, was met, and shook things up a little. Tile vessel entered the harbour shortly after daybreak. With a, cold southerlfyvdriving sleet across the harbour, the eairly prospect was not pleasant, but a change came at an early hour, .and the new. arrivals, after their last breakfast aboardi, went put on "deck to view Wellington at her best. The Pakeha was a full ship to all appearances, yet during the war she had accommodated over 2000 troops, nearly, three times as many as the number of immigrants aboard. She is' specially fitted up for immigrant carrying, in which she was engaged before the war. Her decks are fitted up specially to afford comfort, for many, her dining saloons are tabled on the military transport system., and her cabins on the lower decks are constructed on. the best system. She was a particularly clean ship above and below when she arrived yesterday, and her 872 passengers were a, happy, healthy looking community, all showing the impress of a pleasant voyage. In every respect the Pakeha, under Captain Hartman, and his chief officer, Mr. Faulkner, may be .said to be a- model immigrant ship, and it was. therefore, a, good opportunity for a Post representative to witness the system under which immigrants acre dealt with on arriving at New Zealand—an instance, too, of where a ship's company combined enthusiastically with the local authorities to assist in making things work smoothly. THE SYSTEM. The Under Secretary for Immigration, Mr. H. D. Thomson', and two' of his officers accompanied the Health Officer, j Dr. Findlay, aboard. The ship, fortunately, was "clean." Arrangements were ' well ahead aboard, and the immigrants were all lined up in alphabetical order (the work of the chief officer) in military fashion near the entrance to one of the corridors leading to the dining-saloon. The, Health Officer stood at the entrance, and as he examined and passed the people they moved down the passage along which tables had been arranged, lhere the two immigration officials sat, and under the immediate direction of the Under Secretary, each immigrant's name was -called out and - each was handed letters that had previously been left for them at the Immigration Department by friends, relatives, or those whohad engaged; them, and-papers containing full instructions as to. how and what to do in regard to obtaining accommodation, transhipment, railway travelling, the changing of money, and other ■ essential matters, the immigrants- proceeded on down the passage to the ffi°'V where abo«t a' dozen. Customs officials, under a responsible officer, en j em- ?"'6 their Previously-nlled-m immigration papers were examined to see that they were not undesirables j their passports or permits were taken by the Internal Affairs officers, and instructions were issued as to how to "et their luggage through. From the Customs officials they passed on to another corridor where other immigration officers, smart young fellows with military experience, sat at tables, lhere their passage "contracts" were collected., transhipment tickets, and railway vouchers for those who were proceeding to other ports'or inland destina- I tions, were issued, and their British paper money was changed. This moneychanging is a very thoughtful concession, for; locally, a heavy exchange rate is exacted for British Treasury notes; whereas the Department gives every im- ! migrant the full equivalent in New Zea- j land bank notes. After leaving the money-changing table, the immigrant passed along to the Salvation Army officer (Major Greene) and an assistant, who are virtually officers of the Immigration Department, and each.was questioned as to accommodation arrangements ashore. Where no arrangements existed, tickets were issued for rooms or. beas at _ private hotels or boardinghouses. This accommodation is-secured prior to the arrival of every immigrant boat. The charge, in no case isto exceed 10s per day, and is often considerably less. Sometimes, where the hotels are overtaxed, additional provision is made at drill halls and. other places. This was the case yesterday. It does not matter to what port or inland town the immigrant is proceeding; accommodation tickets are issued, and the Army officials at each place, on being handed them, conduct, the newcomer to the allotted hotel. They also meet them at stopover places—Gishorne passengers, for instance, are met at Napier, and are conducted to their boats, or accommodation until the boats sail. Telegrams of. «dvice are sent on ahead. Local hotels also are advised of the. number allotted to them. The Salvation Army uniform is known all over the world, and the immigrant has no difficulty in finding those attending to their welfare. Before the immigrant aboard passes out of the hands of the officials, i.e., before he or she finally leaves the corridor, each is j individually questioned as ■ to whether there is anything further to be done, and they are not dismissed until the Department is thoroughly satisfied. , AN ESSENTIAL. The system is most complete, and experience has ensured its smooth working. It was obvious, however, that co-opera-tion by ship's officials is a great Resistance, indeed an essential to successiuland rapid working. It prevents the unnecessary harrassing of the riatura-lly anxious; excited, disembarking passengers, many of whom have considerable families. Patience, and a. personal consiedration, with an entire dispensing with officialism are insisted upon by Mr. I Thomson. Yesterday the whole 872 passengers . were medically examined and dealt with as above by the Immigration Department in a. little" over ( three- hours, and the liner was berthed with her gangways down at 3 p.m. THE NEiW ARRIVALS. At the wharf, when she came alongside, were many hundreds of people, and the new arrivals had a particularly warm, welcome. They appeared a splendid little community of men, women ami children, and they were obviously, eager to enter upon their new life. They have come- from all parts of Britain. A large proportion, are from Scotland and Irelan fl* with the quaintest and brosiilest of accents. Many also are ex-army men. including commissioned officers "and their families. Seventy-five "domestics" of a fine type oame- out-under the- charge of two- matrons. These girls were allotted special quarters during the voyage. Miss M'Leau, Director of the Girls' 'Department, met them, -aboard yeater'day, Three hundred of the immigrants were booked

for Wellington, and 260 for Auckland The latter were despatched-to tho Norths em city by train last evening. Only one death eccured on the voyage, that of a boy 15 years of age who bad contracted blond-poisoning. Th» burial at sea was a most impressive memory among the passengers. All the immigrants spoke enthusiastically of the pleasantness of the voyage, the good food aboard, and their treatment generally. Captain Hartaian and his officer!; were quite as enthusiastic regarding the good behaviour and general demeanour of the passengers while under their charge. Only one port of call was entered,. Colon, where a dajy was spent. There' a Christmas tree was secured for the children for Christmas Day, and the resulting pleasure -was quite a memory, amongst'the Uttlo ones. Many enjoyable concerts, entertain* ments, and debates were hold ea xouta.