STURDY COLONISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1924, Page 7

STURDY COLONISTS.

BIG DRAFT FROM BRITAIN. all TRADES REPRESENTED. MANY SETTLING ON THE LAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Tf first impressions count for any thing, then the 628 assisted immigrants who arrived in Auckland by the Pakeha from Southampton to-day should !, be pleased with theii - prospects of settling down in this country. This was the largest batch of immigrants which has arrived in New Zealand during the year. Special sleeping compartments were fitted up on the Pakena, and. the geileral opinion seemed to be that the quarters were very comfortable indeed. The deck space, as was to be expected of a cargo steamer, was not as extensive as it might have been, but this did not pre- . vent the holding of deck games on the way out. One and all of the passengers were full of praise for the commander, Captain W. P. Clifton-Mogg, his officers and the crew.

■ feature of these new coloni£ts is their obvious physical fitness. Men, women and children alike all appeared to be .in the pink of condition, and all those approached stated that they. realised thac if they werq to succeed in this country, they would have to work and were prepared to work. There was again a predominance of immigrants of Scottish origin. There was :alsp a large proportion of English people and a fair sprinkling of Jrisii. Almost every trad? is represented among the men. There is a batch of some fifteen qualified engineers, who are going to try their luck in the Dominion. Many intend to settle on the. land, while others expressed their intention of- going mining. 6

Mitfial there was wholehearted contentment on all sides, and little batches could be hoard painting pictures of the tuture in glowing terms. One Scotsman could not surpass his enthusiasm, and gave vent to his feelings through the : bagpipes.’ . Around the decks he marched and >soon had a proud following.