THE ROTORUA'S IMMIGRANTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15524, 26 January 1911, Page 7

THE ROTORUA'S IMMIGRANTS.

A REPLY TO RECENT REFLECTIONS. [Fbojc Oub Cobbespontent.] WELLINGTON, January 25. "There is an old adage which says, 1 Some people can always see what they Are looking for,' and it seems to apply very well indeed in this particular case." Such is the comment of another Rotorua passenger upon the statement made to the effect that a number of girla of obviously loose character were imported by the pteamer which arrived from Home eomo fire or six weeks ago. The speaker was Mr A. Crawford, editor of the "Voice of Labour," a South African newspaper, who joined the Bteamer at Cape Town. "For myself," said Mr Crawford, "I have travelled about a lot, and did not see anything in the conduct of the Rotorua's passengers that could be condemned in any way. They compared very favourably with any community I have ever lived with. I saw nothing that is not common on every passenger boat that crosses the ocean, a little flirtation perhaps, some sitting all together on deck quite likely, but of evidence to make me suspicious of the presence of numbers of girls of obviously loose character none at all. In a. company of some six hundred men and women it is no matter for surprise if somei lay themselves open to suspicion, but on the Rotorua the proportion that oould possibly be even suspected was very small indeed. I Cannot think of any girl on board whom one oould more than suspect." " Altogether," said Mr Crawford, "I think the ship's company was an extroriiely respectable one, and that New Zealand was very fortunate indeed to get such a fine body of immigrants. I give the statement an absolute contradiction. To make it was grossly unfair to all the young women on board, for its casts a slight on everyone of them."