CARE OF GIRL IMMIGRANTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15262, 28 March 1913, Page 4

CARE OF GIRL IMMIGRANTS

GOVERNMENT'S ACTIVITY.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. j ANSWER TO ALLEGATIONS. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORBESPONDENT. ] Wellington', Thursday. The following is a copy of the material parts of a • letter addressed by • the Hon. H. D. Bell (Minister for Immigration) to the chairman of the Dominion's Trade Commission :—

Sir, you are aware that the evidence in the subject of immigration was given before the commission at Wellington on the last two days of its sittings here. My attention was immediately called to the reports of some of that evidence, but the time remaining before the departure of the commission was too short to enable me to obtain and present to the commission , in the form of evidence, _ the reports and official information which were necessary for the presentation of other facts for the consideration of the commission. I venture, therefore, as Minister for Immigration, to request the permission of the commission to submit this present letter and the accompanying reports as an official statement by the Department 01 Immigration of New Zealand.

*' Opinions, Not Evidence." " I refer especially to the statements made bv Miss E. R. Bremner, of the Labour 'Department. In no instance can it be said that the statements, of Miss Bremner are statements of facts witluii her own knowledge. They are opinions elicited by the commission from a ladv employed in a very subordinate position in the Department of Labour, opinions which I venture to submit could have no possible weight unless it be assumed tnat it was any ' part ;of the witness s official duty to inquire into or report upon either the arrangements made in the steamers for the charge of the girl immigrants, or the arrangements made at the ports ox arrival for th©ix reception. The fact is that Miss Bremner has no function of any kind in either respect. " I do not mean to convey the impression that Miss Bremner expressed to the commission opinions which she did not hold. I would ask the commission to consider as a matter of some importance in relation to the weight which they should attach _ to my own : inquiries on the subject, _ that the statements and opinion of the witness reflect not so much upon the Government of New Zealand at present in power as upon the Administration which preceded it. I ask leave of the commission to state the nature of inquiries I myself have made and their result.

Suitability of Matrons. 1 " In the first place with Tegard to the care of the female immigrants on the voyages I satisfied, myself ■ that the _ matrons appointed to take charge of the girls were, in every case responsible and suitable wo-; men. I further satisfied myself that there were no such conditions existing as Miss Brennan refers to, namely, the intermingling of the sexes: within the berthing accommodation. This was ascertained not only by the Government's inquiries from the officers of the then . Department for Lands and Immigration, but from interviews on* some occasions with matrons, and from information received from the shipping companies. "I wrote a letter to the shipping companies on October 29, 1912, a , copy of which is enclosed.

Commission Asked to Hake Inquiries.

"On behalf of the Government I ask that the commission should satisfy itself by inspection of the ships and by a close examination <>f the shipping companies before it caste upon the Government so grave an imputation as that it , failed in its duty to ' the young women .who had placed " themselves under its care, and I repeat that here I, am speaking not only for the present Government but on behalf of all New Zealand Governments. Accommodation on Arrival. "Secondly, as to the provisionj of hostels at the ports of. arrival, .this subject - has received great consideration since the present Government assumed office?. A number of persons 1 have 'advocated the establishment of such hostels ; for the reception of immigrant women, and a number of such persons have at the same time recommended themselves or others as suitable persons to cccupy the position of matron of such establishments. Further quasi-charitable associations have applied, for Government financial assistance to their general purposes upon the condition that the homes of such associations should be open and available for the reception of women immigrants. l The first question the present Government decided was .that under the present circumstances there was not any necessity for - the • establishment of Government buildings in the ports. It must be conceded that if one 6uch building is to be established there must be fourone .each of the four ports Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and | Dunedin. I found that in practically I every case the assisted women immigrants! were engaged before they left .the ship, J and this is clearly borne out by the evidence of Miss Bremmer, who says that in no case did' any women find it necessary to apply to the labour bureau for employment. There was therefore clearly, no necssity for any Government establish-! ment in the nature of a hotel, for there! would have been no occupants at the present rate of immigration. Girls' Friendly Society's Offer. " As the Government had announced its intention to'endeavour , to largely icrease the influx of domestic servants I thought it necessary to make provision for their possible stay at the ports of arrival. - 11 therefore considered the application of the i associations to which I have . referred, and on December 9, 1912, I wrote to Mrs. Crossl wife of the Bishop of Auckland (who had presided at a conference of the Girls' Friendly Society) a letter, a copy of which I enclose. Shortly afterwards in a confidential memo, to my colleagues I stated that I had decided to use the homes of the Girls' Friendly I Society in each port as the official places for. the reception of girl immigrants, aifid to grant financial assistance from the publio funds to that society for that purpose. "The reason for the delay in providing official establishments for "the reception was that the Government were compelled to await the report of the High Commissioner before they could be satisfied that any considerable increase in the number of immigrants was probable."