IMMIGRANTS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2430, 10 October 1900, Page 9

IMMIGRANTS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

THE "CLARION" PARTY. (Fboii Otje -Own Cobbespondent.)

WELLINGTON, October 1,

• Of the 41 immigrants who have come to Now Zealand by the Kumara, 34 have arrived in Wellington from Auckland. The party, of which this is the first instalment, is the outcome of a series of articles written for the [London " Clarion " by Mr W. R. Ranstead, a writer who has always been associated with the forward social movement, and who during a visit to New Zealand was much struck by the advantages the artisan and labouring man in this colony possesses ovar his brother in the old country, particularly as to the conditions of living and the chances for improvement. The articles were widely read, and when Mr Ranstead arrived back in England lie was plied with questions by numbers of people, and these being answered satisfactorily, a parly was formed. At first it numbered about 40 — the Kumara' s contingent, — but it grew and grew until some 150 people were enrolled. Of thepe, Mr Ransload and 50 more immigrants are due in Wellington next Sunday, and about SO are on board the Paparoa, now on her way to the colony. Interviewed by a Times representative, one of the leaders of the party, a Manchester man, gave some interesting information regarding the scheme, the ambitions of the party, and their present position. Of those who arrived yesterday, only three are women, the rest men — healthy, active, intelligent tradesmen : engineers, compositors, cabinetmakers, bootmakers, a few agriculturists, including a Cambridge University master of arts, and all ranging between 24 and 34 years of age ; everyone willing to brave the hardships of the bush, and take all risks for the chance of getting into direct touch with Nature, and become in a sense free. They do not wish it understood that they are the " scum of the earth," as are alleged by some to be. They even object to being called immigrants, as each adult has paid £14 14s for the passage out. Theirs is a nobler ambition. They are artisans mostly/possessed of a little capital, tired of being cooped up with never a eight of a green field from year's end to year's end, subject to the petty tyrannies of any number of masters. They have thrown up in come cares good billets to come to New Zealand, have broken away from the narrow soul-griping confines of big- factories in big cities, where they have found advancement next to impossible, to breathe fresh air and strike out for freedom. The " dream "of Mr Ranstead's party is to obtain a grant of land from the Government in the country, land that they can cleai of bush, road, and grass for _ themselves, and in time, by virtue of iheir industry, claim a portion Jo form a, settlement, erect sawmill-, daJiy fiutm-ic and so improve the land ami op^n uy Ju> country. This was the Kka creu'ed by M? Ranstead beforo leaving Home, and \, iv.di the members of the parly have then mod of ilurmg the long- voyage out. The ii) t /-chuff was adminstered on Salunl.iv vbon Ihoy m. t 't i * , lacka y> °f the Labour department, ,\vho told them that in ar^m-int; land lor settlement they wou ld l.aie I o take their

disheartening, for Mr R&nstead had written to them only last week asking- them to get tents, implements, and. other necessaries ready pending his arrival next Sunday, in order that the party could start right away to which ever part of the country the Government might allot them a holding, and advising them to keep together. Discontent on this account has already eiept into the little community, and many are now cogitating as to whether they will look for situations at once or wait for Mr Ranstead' s arrival before taking steps for their individual welfare. A deputation from the party it 1 to have another interview with Mr Mackay.