IMMIGRATION TO THE COLONY.

Evening Star, Issue 12396, 9 January 1905, Page 4

IMMIGRATION TO THE COLONY.

TO THE EDrrOB. Sir, — Immigration, seems to be attracting a good deal of attention at present in this' colony. We are told- that a ship arrived here some few days ago with something liko four hundred fortuno-seekers aboard. There seems to have been quite a rush on servantgirls in particular, for which there may bea fairly good demand, but for other classes of workers I fall to see what inducements can be offered to them, for already there are more now than can find decent employment, and even then not permanent. Immigration may be a good thing for this colony, providing a proper clas3 of agricultural laborers were obtained, which is very, seldom, and even if thoyi were they rarely follow their occupation once they reach the colony. As a rule, immigrants applying for application form. 1 ? from agents j or others at Home make statements to suit, their purpose. I remember immigration to Queensland from England twenty years ago. The conditions were, first, to satisfy trie agent of your ability as a farm hand, which was not a very "hard task, for in many cases the agent would not know whether yon were a farm laborer or a tinker," and seemed to care as little. Secondly, the agent would give you a list of the amount of underwear, etc., you would want on the voyage, and after perhaps spending all your spare cash yon would find that the most of the articles were'uEcles.? to \ou, and more eo when yon arrived at your journey's end, and! found all you required was a pair of blankets and a change of clothing. Then you were ready for your adventures in a new country, which, in many cases, is the causd of keeping thourands of good workmen in the largo cities instead of their being out in the country. It should be the dutyrt agents and others at Home to give intending immigrants the best of information as to their needs in a new country, not to lead them astray, as is often the caxe. If it in immigration of farm hands that are wanted, there are thousands whe would leave any of the Australian States to come here, without going to England for them, if enough inducement were oSered. T( would be far belter to have men that ar« used to colonial life in general than tobriDg out people from the crreat cities of England or other countries. It seems strange that in one'part- of the world people are being asked to come to New Zealand, and in another part of the worM nearer to us they are warned against coming. What are w"« to make of it? Is it that the workers ar« too well paid here, and by immigration flood the labor market to secure for the employing classes a guaranteed supply of labor to enable them to have the worker at their mercy? Eor my part, I think there is a task quite hard enough to find work for all that are willing to work without going outside the colony at all. It is less than two months ago that there was a universal cry here "What shall we do with the unemployed?" and we could use the same words to-day, and not be guilty of a lie.—l am, etc., Immigrant. January 9.