AN IMMIGRANT’S LAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 19722, 24 November 1927, Page 14

AN IMMIGRANT’S LAMENT.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —Reading an article under the heading ‘ Immigration ’ in yesterday’s ‘ Star,’ 1 wonder ii : we are to have another largo dump of misguided people sent out here. If so, it is shameful in tho extreme. I came oat 18 mouths ago, and fail to see any advantage in coming, whether one is of right typo or not. The conditions in this country are bad for everybody, so why bring more? 1 saved up at Home enough for passages and plenty to land here with. I sold up my nice home—practically gave it away. Wo were instructed not to break up our homes until actually within a few days of sailing. Like many others, I believed the glowing accounts of New Zealand, the propaganda of the Government and interested shipping companies; bub what do 1 find? Poverty all round, with conditions worse than England in this respect. There is more work in Britain, and every employee has Is 4d deducted from his wages weekly, and when unemployed receives the unemployment benefit. Living being cheaper ail round and clothing much cheaper, he can stand hard times much easier than out hero. When a man is sick ho needs only to go to his panel doctor for free attendance and medicine, also sickness benefit, This country may be all right when one is in work, but when otherwise it is doubly harder than the Old Country. Doctors’ fees out hero are right out ot proportion to what a working man can afford. In England one can see a doctor for 2s per visit, and for'2s 6d per attendance at home if the patient is too ill to go out. My wife is brokenhearted at the plight we are now in, and daily has some reference to make about tho miserable conditions here. We are in rags, and quite unable to replace anything. This country is very nice and a far better country in which to bring up children. This was my reason for coming, but our children need food and clothing badly. One can bear hardship, but it is heartbreaking to see our children in rags and in want of proper nourishing food. 1 am weekly writing Homo to the Press stating the true conditions, and I would advocate an extensive display of anti-propaganda in large towns at Homo, pointing out the true conditions in this country and preventing many more from taking rash steps m their attempts to “ make their fortunes abroad.” Wo,must stay hero five years, and are bhon free to return. Where am I to got tho passage money to go back? There is one way—that is, to be deported—but must ouo go to this extreme and resort to crime to got out of this misery? Immigrants are not wanted hero, and I am sure many would be only too glad to return if they could. 1 would rather have been killed in tho war than endure this drawn-out miserable existence, the struggle for a crust, in this land of “survival of the fittest God’s own' country.— l am, etc., Ex-soldier. November 23.