IMMIGRATION OF FARM HANDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5118, 10 November 1903, Page 7

IMMIGRATION OF FARM HANDS.

Mr W. D. Holbrook writes:—The reiiterated expressions by farmers and others of the difficulty experienced in obtaining this class of labour, together with frequent editorials from tho press, have given, prominence to this subject. From wide personal experience and general knowledge of tho Homo trade and social matters, both in manufacturing and fanning counties, I venture to say that hundreds, if not thousands, of this class would willingly convo out to this colony, if they obtained free or assisted passages under tho aegis of tho New Zealand Government. They should be fairly assured that on their arrival here situations would be waiting, or found them, with some idea of iho wages paid here. This would, of course, mean that a bureau should be formed hero under one of the Government departments, whore colonial farmers would give their guarantee to take over for a certain period whatever men or women (married or single) farm servants they may require. There should be no breaking faith, and there should be no original misrepresentation at Home with this class of worker. The passage money should fall equally on the colonial Government, the farmer and the farm hand—tho latter refunding his share by instalments out of his wages. At Home, the country farm hands, their wives .and their children of both sexes, are invariably industrious and sober-living people, and with just treatment in this colony would inako a splendid backbone population in the near future, such as we badly want at this_ present time. The majority of the girls of this class at Home mostly go out to service, so that in assisting the farmer here, tho New Zealand Government can at the same time assist tho towns in the colony, by bringing from Home a good class of girls to act as domestic servants. The English and Welsh countrv girls are strong and healthy; invariablv making good wives for the artisan class. It seems to nro that unless the colony gets fresh stock from Homo, our population is likely to remain at its present low ebb. I would liko to further suggest that with free passages, the servant girl problem could be considerably solved by obtaining workhouse girls from Homo, if the colonial Government has not had this in contemplation through its AgentG on-oral.