The Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1907. IMMIGRATION RETURNS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 2779, 30 July 1907, Page 4

The Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1907. IMMIGRATION RETURNS.

We observe by the annual return to hand that the number of arrivals in the colony up to the 31st March last was 3712, equal to 3141 J statute adults, an increase of 1243 over the previous year. The whole of the newcomers were classed as assisted. They possessed amongst them capital to the extent of £114,089, and an annual income in addition of £l9Bß—this, of course, would be a combined income. Th eamount of passage money contributed by New Zealand through the High Commissioner was £12,570. The Department has extended the benefits of assisted passages to those persons who, whilst residing in New Zeae land, have hitherto been unable to bring out their wives and children or other near relatives. Under this head 383$ statute tdults were nominated in New Zealand, and passage money to the amount of £3782 10s was paid into the Immigration Office for that purpose. It is believed that this concession has been of great benefit in re-uniting separated families. In the early portion of last year 278 railway workers, under the heading of “navvies.” arrived for work on the North Island Main Trunk Railway; these with their families numbered

507. Representations having been made to the High Commissioner that no further supply was needed, he has discontinued granting any more passages to this class of settler. Referring to the class of immigrants that have arrived in the colony during the past year, the Under-Secretary for Immigration says: “From the numbers whom I have met personally and discussed land questions with, I am convinced that the High Commissioner has exercised a very wise discretion in selecting them, and has added a fine and sturdy class of settlers, both I men and women, to our numbers. It. I is stated in the report that in addition to the settlers reaching our shores from the United Kingdom, a large and increasing number of applications for assisted passages and for information as to the lands available for settlement in New Zealand, etc., have lieen received Irom persons living in Canada, the United States. South Africa. Australia and elsewhere. In these cases, whilst affording complete particulars and details as to the capabilities of New Zealand and the prospects ol intending settlers, the Department lias always pointed out that as those who were applying resided in countries that were seeking to induce immigration to their own shores, it would savour of an unfriendly act on the part of the Nan Zealand Government to in any way countenance the granting of assisted passages.