THE IMMIGRANTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1149, 6 December 1873, Page 13

THE IMMIGRANTS.

As soon as it was found that the ailments of the passengers by the Jessie Headman were of a harmless character, and that there was no necessity for detaining them in quarantine, they were released and sent to Dunedin, where they arrived by the Golden Age yesterday at noon. That their services were required was soon manifest, for before they had set foot on the jetty, some over impatient applicants requested their terms whilst they were yet on the landing-stage ; but they -wisely took the advice of Mr Colin Allan, who cautioned them against considering any proposal before they reached the Barracks. The first thing they had to attend to was their lusgage, which was run down the jetty in trucks ; put of it sent off to Caversham by rail, ami a large quantity transhipped to the Wanganui, which sailed for Invei-cargill iv the evening with a lot of the "uew chums," who were going to their friends iv the Southland district. After looking rouud the town, the remainder of the immigrants walked to tlie Barracks. being the rlvbt day on winch the iinigrants, per Zealandia were open for engagement, the Barracks preseuted a very busy ap-peai-ance. The first to be employed' were the carpenters, most of whom were enabled to start •work iv the morning. Some reasonable offers were made to a party of miners, who, being apparently in ii condition of monetary independence, refused to accept the terms, as the tents were not good enough for them, smd the wages did not exceed those given in Wales. The person who offered to engage them had come from Manuka Creek, ami agreed to pay their journey up, supply them with tents, and pay them Ss (id per diem. Some married couples were engaged as farm servants at £(«, while one couple refused to accept £35 for six months. Single females appear to be in greatdemaud, and few are eligible, as thirty-two applications have been sent in, and all except three of those who arrived by the Jessie Headman have left; for other places. Carpenters received los per day, and shepherds from £2 l()s to £3 a week. Thirty tnilors arrived by the Zealandia. Only a few of them have l>e engaged, but some applications have been sent from the country which will probably clear them out._ The occupations of the passengers by the Jessie Readiuan who remained in Dunedin are : — 12 farm labourers, four shepherds, two ploughmen, seven iigricultur.il labourers, one dairymaid, one stone-dyker, seven labourers, one gai--dener, teu domestic servants, three general ditto, one steward, one dressmaker, one joiner, one sempstress, and one tailor.

The Surat, which left London on the 28tli

follows : — Eighteen farm labourers, six carpenters, thirty-five general servants, four gardeuers, four dressmakers, five dairymaids, two housekeepers, two shoemakers, three blacksmiths, one engineer, and two masons.