FROM SOUTHERN EUROPE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 1210, 7 January 1925, Page 2

FROM SOUTHERN EUROPE.

SLAVS, GREEKS, ITALIANS. LAND IN "AUSTRALIA. MELBOURNE, Dec. 27. Immigrants from Southern Europe totalling 1090 arrived to-day by the steamer Regina d'ltalia. Whatever official figures may be offered to prove the contrary, the number of aliens migrating is largely on the increase. Each steamer arriving from the Mediterranean brings a bigger complement than the previous one. In the vast majority of cases the immigrants pay low fares, and travel in rigged-up passenger accommodation under hatches and in 'tween decks. The immigrants' quarters are comfortless and far from clean. Those travelling on the Regina d'ltatia, however, were no worse off than those on any other foreign steamer —in fact, the 'tween decks bore signs of having been recently re-furnished. Italians were in the majority. All were nominated—s7s of them, all told. Jugo-Slavs numbered 126, Maltese 54, and Greeks and others 315. Most of the immigrants had sums of money in their possession, some in gold, and American notes were in abundance, one man exhibiting 500 dollars. Of those on the Regina d'ltalia 312 disembarked at Melbourne, a few newcomers were whisked away in motor cars, and one Italian carried a beribboned guitar slung over his shoulder like a mediaeval minstrel.