DUMPED IN MELBOURNE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14976, 23 April 1909, Page 2

DUMPED IN MELBOURNE.

THE IMMIGRANT’S TROUBLES,

A corespondent sends the following note in reference to troubles experienced by some emigrants from Great Britain: Amongst the thorns in the pathway of the evergreen immigrant, perhaps that which is remembered by the sufferers as the “Australian Dump” is the most grievous. To give an outline of a recent experience, the following is the gist of letters received by, fifty to a hundred intending immigrants to New Zealand: —“January 22, 1909.—Referring to your booking to Christchurch, we are sorry to inform you that we have this morning received advice from the line to the effect that they have had to cancel the sailing of the on February 6, and they are transferring the passengers booked by that steamer to the ——, leaving on January 30. Passengers for New’ Zealand, and their luggage, will be transhipped, free of charge, at an Australian port to port of destination, and we shall be glad, therefore, if you will kindly note, and advise us by return certain, if this will suit you. , Agent.” One of the party bad doubts regarding the term •'transhipped free of charge,” and elicited the meaning in writing, as:— "If you have to stay for some time at port of disembarkation in Australia for the connecting steamer, all expenses for board and lodging will be borne by .the steamer.” This statement was freely circulated en voyage, and at tli« Cape and ' Adelaide nil was marry. Melbourne was reached on. Friday, March 19. At noon on the following day the names of eighteen passengers, who were booked to east coast porta of the South Island of New Zealand, were posted on the ship’s bar-room door, a foot-note instructing them to call at the offices of Messrs for an order on the line, entitling them to sail by a steamer leaving Melbourne on March 24. By the time auy of them were able to find out where the office lay in the city, business wms over for the’ day. Tbo Home steamer was then chalked to sail for Sydney on Monday. On that- day when applying for transfers all who inquired were informed that the steamer had nothing to do with expenses in Melbourne. All having obliged the shipping company by sailing a week earlier tlian they had intended and waiving their claim to a direct and safer passage, this was a thunderbolt. The immigrants, were I "dumped” in Melbourne, denied by the. agents, and refused a berth on the intercolonial boat. A time was fixed for a general meeting, and thirteen, who were practically walked into the steamer’s agents’ ofeoe in a body. Tho junior clerk, who had all along seemed to extract a considerable amount of pleasure from the situation, repeated plainly that the agents had nothing to do with it. Here was the chonco for the wide-awake man of the. party. He had been to the New Zealand Government Office on bis own initiative, and laid the matter out and dry before the agent there—name 6. and particulars, letters bearing on the situation and other information. Within an hour the message was passed round, “ All’s well!” and in the afternoon each had His morning’s expenses disbursed, and the spokesman was given an order on a temperance hotel company to cater for and house the stranded immigrants. Women and children are often dumped in an Australian city with tho name only of the tranship agents given them. No one interested in the Australian States speaks well of New Zealand, and many intending settlers accept situations at the ports of call rather than go further and chance to faro worse.