NEED FOR IMMIGRATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7847, 8 July 1911, Page 17

NEED FOR IMMIGRATION

Some good advice was given by the Victorian Minister for Lands (Mr McKenzie) to the Irish girls who have come out to Victoria to the local factory of Welch, Margetson, and Co. The girls were entertained at luncheon by the local directors, at the 1* federal Coffee Palace, and Mr Cos, in introducing the Minister, told of the demonstrative sendoff the girls had been given when they left Londonderry. Ho congratulated them on having come to Australia, oven though this country did not offer the inducements held out by the Canadian Government, which had advertised for 5000 girls to become the wives of settlers. Mr McKenzie, in welcoming the girls to Victoria, said that last year, when in Ireland with Mr Elwood Mead, he found the authorities were not disposed to help in inducing the people to leave the conntry. Even the newspapers in Dublin declined to advertise where they held their meetings- There was no desire to disturb people satisfied with their conditions, but they did hear there that many people -were prepared to leave Ireland to better themselves. This assemblage proved that that was so, when so many youny, bright girls were prepared to come such a long distance. They would find conditions of life much the same as in Great Britain, and that this w'as not a country, as many British people believed, where there were a few whites among au immense black population. Young girls coming to a new country might be inclined to marry hastily, but many a woman's happiness was marred by marrying too soon, and he advised them to know a man fairly well bsfore marrying him. They could make a good living in Victoria, and, if they chose, make themselves independent.