GIRL IMMIGRANTS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 145, 25 July 1914, Page 10

GIRL IMMIGRANTS.

UNDESIRABLES SENT BACK SOME SERIOUS COMPLAINTS. . i DEPUTATION TO HON. H. D. BELL. From Our Own Correspondent. AUCKLAND, July 25. It has transpired that certain young women who came as assisted immigrants from England have been sent back for various reasons, at the expense of the Government. One is a consumptive, whose condition was drawn attention to by the Auckland Hospital Board. She has a child, whose fare will also have to be paid. Just now there is another tubercular case in the Auckland hospital, and the medical superintendent has informed the board that in his opinion the young woman should never have been allowed to land as an assisted immigrant. A few weeks ago a girl aged 16 years reached Auckland, having come to Wellington from England with a batch of immigrants, but her conduct during, and subsequent to, the voyage was such as to cause her prompt return. The only recommendation she had to support her application in England for. an assisted passage was a letter from a priest, stating that she had been an inmate of a Catholic in-v stitution. DISTASTEFUL ASSOCIATES. A serious aspect of the matter is that the sister institutions, the Girls' Friendly Society and the Young Women's Christian Association, very] naturally find it distasteful to have such girls associating with' the -greater number of very respectable young women whom they receive on behalf of the Government when they arrive from England, The matter has formed the subject of thoughtful conferences between the two bodies, and, as an outcome, the president" of the Girls' Friendly Society (Mrs W. H. Parkes) was asked to visit Wellington for the' purpose of interviewing the Hon. H. D. Bell, with a deputation of Dominion representatives of each society. At the conclusion of the . the Minister said that he was very pleased that the deputation had waited upon him, because the information placed before him had thrown light on some important phases of the immigration problem. METHODS .OF SELECTION. Mrs Parkes, who has now returned to Auckland, informed a representative of the "Star" last evening that the deputation had gone forward with the idea of explaining to the Minister what had been done since the two societies had undertaken, a year ago, to receive young women arriving in New Zealand' as assisted immigrants. '* In explaining the objects of the deputation," said Mrs Parkes, "I pointed out to the Minister that we desired to feel that the Government and we were working together for the common good of the corar mimity, in this important matter, and that by offering advice we were only responding to the confidence which the Government had reposed in us." Mrs Parkes added that the Minister was asked to provide for the better selection 1 , of girls; .that the selection should be made by women; that it should not be made in London, but in the place where the. girls were domiciled. This, it was remarked, would necessitate agencies all over the British Isles, and for that reason they suggest that selection should be entrusted to the British Women's Emigration Association, who had the required agencies, and who were willing to assist the New Zealand Government. SMALL PERCENTAGE OF UNDESIRABLES.

In reply to further questions, Mrs Parkes told the interviewer that she contended tib the Minister that many of the girls hitherto received had been quite ineapable of fulfilling the purpose of the immigration system, namely, to provide good domestics for their overworked sisters in the Dominion. If they had been domestics they had only specialised, and knew nothing of the general work commonly required in the Dominion. "I made it clear to; the Minister," said Mrs Parkes, "that we believed the percentage of absolutely undesirable immigrants is small, but we all know what incalculable harm even a few such girls can cause, not only among other girls, but also by becoming a reflection on our societies. I also made a strong point of the fact that we are relied upon to accommodate only girls of a-: good charcter. MOEE SUPEBVISION WANTED. ' Another important recommendation | made to the Minister was that it was considered necessary to arrange for better supervision on board ship. The deputation remarked that it was understood that another deputation had only recently waited on the Minister concerning the number of immigrant girls lately received into the Alexandra Home. As a result of a conversation with girls who had come out as immigrants, a strong suggestion was made that there should be more effective supervision. "I have since made a suggestion to the Minister," said Mrs Parkes, '' to the effect that girl immigrants should have some definite work to do on board ship, such as making their own beds, and keeping their cabins tidy. If this plan is not feasible we suggest that stewardesses, instead of stewards, be employed in the girls' quarters. The Minister, in his remarks," said Mrs Parkes, "referred to the dissatisfaction of mistresses because girls under engagement to them often remained at the first port of call. She thought, however, that this contingency might, to some, extent, be obviated by arranging for a more even distribution of girls. In regard to their arrival they had accordingly suggested to the Minister that immigrant parties be sent to the Dominion, say four times a year, the parties to be conducted by lady superintendents who should have absolute authority. WORK ON BOARD SHIP.

Since her return, Mrs Parkes had received a letter from the UnderSecretary of the Department of Immigration (Mr J. E. Smith) regarding: the interview with the Minister. The writer says that it cleared up some points in which there might have been some misunderstanding on both sides. '"1 also agree with your remarks," says the Under-Secretary, << that girl immigrants should have some definite work to do on board ship, such as making their own beds and keeping their cabins tidy. The Government have already taken steps in this direc-

tion. I have also to inform you that the Government has determined that batches of girls shall be sent direct to the four chief ports under the control of matrons, selected by the. _ British Women's Emigration Association. It all depends, however, upon whether the High Commissioner in London will adopt the views of the Minister or not. If the Minister's views are_ adopted, you will be advised weeks prior to the arrival of the girls, in order to give you time to secure suitable employment for them. No doubt as «oon as the Minister can- find time, he will reply offi : cially upon the subjects introduced by the deputation.