IMMIGRANT SHIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20089, 4 May 1927, Page 4

IMMIGRANT SHIP.

VOYAGE OF THE MATAROA. THEFTS REPORTED ON BOARD. (Special to Dailt Times.) AUCKLAND, May 3. The Mataroa, of the Shaw-Savill fleet, which sailed from Southampton on March 25 with 595 passengers, dropped anchor in the Waitemata an hour before daybreak this morning. Having picked up three first-class passengers at Panama and Colon the vessel landed 598 persons at Auckland. Included in that number were 21 in the saloon and 577 in the third class. , . Amongst the third-class passengers were 30 domestic servants, all of whom have positions to go to in .ew Zealand, and sis Flock House girls, daughters of sailors who were lost in the Great War, and who ‘have come to the Dominion to learn farming. In addition, there were eight English public school boys who have come out to go on the land. The total number of immigrants on board the vessel was 445, made up of 204 men, 144 women, and 97 children. Several families and many wives, who have come out to rejoin their husbands were amongst the passengers. Included in the former were four families of nine and two of 11. The ages of the children in these six parties range from 18 months up to 15 years. There was also a party of 12 Norwegians who are through passengers to Sydney. With the exception of one death on board the passage was uneventful, fine weather being experienced most of the way. The death was that of a baby which was born on board. _ln this connection the ship’s doctor (Lieutenant-colonel E. E. Crastcr) was fortunate in having the assistance of three trained nurses who were coming out as passengers. Some of the passengers complained that stealing had been going on. One man lost £2O, and another £ls. Other sums of smaller amounts were also reported to have been stolen. Soon after they came on board some of the male immigrants commenced to spend their money pretty freely, with the result that the third-class bar did a roaring trade for the first few days. Then the men were “broke," and it was after this that the trouble came. One married man, who was accompanied by his wife and family, was relieved of his money, and a fellow-passenger lent him £5 to land in Auckland.