IMMIGRATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19250, 14 August 1924, Page 8

IMMIGRATION.

report or department. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 13. All the immigrants arriving in .Now Zealand last year with a few exceptions were satisfactorily absorbed into the population, according to the annual report of the Department of Immigration. It was anticipated a year ago that the passing of the Empire' Settlement Act, 1922, by the Imperial Parliament would have the effect of stimulating the flow of British immigrants to New Zealand, and greatly decreasing the cost of passage money per capita. Owing chiefly to the fact that the new agreement between the Home and the dominion Governments did not come into force until July, 1923, it was impossible to place before the people of New Zealand the greatly reduced fares from the United Kingdom until the latter end of last year. The agreement, which expires next year, provides for passage money as low as £H for farm labourers and married adults, while domestics get free passages. “Encouragement is given,’’ says the report, “to that most important phase of all immigration policies—juvenile and child migration. At the present time the percentage of this class to the total number arriving stands at 32 per cent., but it is hoped that the result will be 40 per cent, next year. In five years after arrival, the dominion would have a most valuable asset for the, money expended in augmenting the population.’’ The report also reviews the scheme recently instituted of the migration of public and secondary school boys xrom Great Britain as farm cadets. The total number of nominations for assisted passages during the year was 3542, an average of 68 per week, compared with the previous year’s total of 2582, or SO per week. The year's weekly average represented 7100 souls per annum. This should increase to between 10,000 and 12,000 under the present agreement.

The total number of arrivals in New Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year ended March 31 last was 11,488, excluding returning iNew Zealanders. Of the total number arriving 6752 were assisted by the Government. Of those assisted 5994 were nominated, while 758 were applicants. In all 649 domestics were absorbed as follows: Wellington 267, Auckland 169, Canterbury 34, Otago 45, Ilawkes Bay 38, Nelson 17, Taranaki 11, Marlborough nine, Southland five. Farm labourers and miners totalled 755—Auckland 246, Wellington 205, Canterbury 72, Otago 68. Nelson 59, South land 30, Westland 23, Hawkes Bay 26, Taranaki 15, Marlborough one. barm labourers nominated totalled 189, while 246 applied. The miners nominated totalled 309. The chief occupations were: Wives 1125, domestics 951, farmers 566, mechanics 277, labourers 132. engineers 110, clerks 87, carpenters 81, shop assistants tl, joiners 56. The distribution of nominated immigrants was: Auckland 2157, Wellington 1389, Canterbury 713, Otago 679, Hawkes Bay 518, Nelson 289, Taranaki i 56, Southland 144, Westland 132, Marlborough 39.