BEHAVIOUR OF FEMALE IMMIGRANTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7346, 26 January 1911, Page 1

BEHAVIOUR OF FEMALE IMMIGRANTS

A CHARGE REFUTED UNFAIR REFLECTIONS ON NUMBER OF YOUNG WOMEN. "TheTo is an old adage which says 'Some people can always see what they are looking for,' and it seems to apply very well indeed in this particular case." Such is tho comment of another Rotorua passenger upon tho statement made in tho south by a Mr Smith to the effect that a number of girls of obviously loose character were imported by the steamer, which arrived from Home some five or six weeks ago. The statement was reported in yesterday's "New Zealand Times," together with an explanation by officials of the Labour. Department, when it was shown that tho allegation, as well as being very vague, had apparently very little foundation. It was, for instance, stated positively, that the charß|> could not possibly refer to tho assisted female passengers by the Eotorua. INTJ. teERIENCED ? The speaker 'yesterday was Mr A. Crawford, ediS.,r of "The Voice of Labour," a South African paper, who joined the steamer at Capetown. If tho Mr Smith referred to, he said, was the Mr Smith he knew on board, he was a Bradford "character," who called himself "Happy Sam" and of whose remarks ho was very surprised that anyone should take any notice. In all probability Mr Smith Had never taken a long sea voyage' before or seen a largo number of people travelling together in a confined space, for if he had he could not have made such a charge. "For myself, ' said Mr Crawford, "I have travelled about a lot and did not see anything in tho conduct- of the 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 suspicions ofj the "presence of numbers of girls of obviously loose character, none yt. all.. In .;a company of some six hundred men a-r;rt women it is no matter f]or surprise .--if.-, some lay themselves .piicn to suspicion, but on the Rotorua the'proportion that could pos-' sibiv iie even suspected was very sniall indc<v). f .cannot think of any girl on hc.Vd'-whom »one could- more than suspect.",; EXTREMELY RESPECTABLE.

"Altogether," said Mr Crawford, ' I think the ship's company was an extremely respectable one. and that New Zealand was very fortunate indeed to get such a fine body of immigrants. I givo the statement an absolute contradiction. To make it was grossly unfair to all .the voung women on board, for, it casts a slight on every one of them. FURTHER DENIALS SHIPPING COMPANY HAS HEARD NOTHING. SPECIAL TO THE " T111E3." CIiiUSXCitURCH, January 25. Mr Isaac dobs, manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, when approached by a " Press" reporter, eaid that the first intimation of any complaint about the conduct of immigrants on the Rotorua was the publication of the interview. He could not understand why Mr Smith had bottled up his complaints instead of making them when the steamer arrived and when they could have been proved or disproved. The captain's report mado no mention of com. plaints by passengers, and if complaints were made they were supposed to be entered and reported. Mr Gibbs said he could not imagine that tho chaises wero true. The steamer was under tho command of Captain Sutcliffe, who would certainly not have permitted the state of things described to have existed. Mr Gibbs added that in the absence of definite information on the subject he could not enter into a discussion of the charges. Inquiries, however, would bo made. It seemed extraordinary to him that the characters of girls coming to a new country should be assailed publicly in the way they had been by a gentleman who was perhaps no better qualified to judge than any other person. t '