IMMIGRATION BARRACKS, ADDINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1389, 9 August 1872, Page 2

IMMIGRATION BARRACKS, ADDINGTON.

There is no time at which the working of our local immigration department can be more thoroughly appreciated than just immediately after the arrival of an immigrant ship from home, and the location of the immigrants in the barracks at Addington, because at this period the whole system can be fairly and minutely scrutinised in all its details, its shortcomings (if there should be any) pointed out with a view to their being remedied, and a correct opinion formed as to whether the department is efficiently maintained by thoso entrusted with its management. Alive to the importance of all these considerations, we thought the present occasion an opportune one for paying a visit to the Barracks, and

through the courtesy of Mr J. E. March, Chief Immigration Officer for the Middle Island, and Mr and Mrs Arthur Smith (the Master und Matron of the establishment), our reporter was enabled to make' a detailed inspection of the premises yesterday, and is now m a position to speak confidently of what he saw there. It would be as well, perhaps, to premise our remarks by stating; for ■ the information of those at home whoso friends have emigrated to this province, that the establishment in question is situated in Addington, one of the suburbs of Christchurch, and that here all those who are introduced to Canterbury under the auspices of the General Government are housed and fed gratuitously until they obtain suitable and remunerative employment. These observations must not be taken in a pauper sense. The Government, in their paternal care of those who are induced to make Canterbury their adopted home, know too woll that their soheme of populating this country would be sadly weakened and be productive of evil consequences to all concerned, if they did not manifest some little concern in the welfare, protection and comfort of immigrants after their arrival in a land which, though peopled by their own countrymen, must naturally be strange to them. Happily for us, our Governments (provincial and otherwise), have always recognised the fact, that to give a new-arrival a good impression of the country he comes to (and first impressions are | proverbially the best) you must treat him kindly and hospitably, and evince an interest in all that concerns his individual comfort and happiness. This is just what is done through the agency of the immigration department in Canterbury, and it must be deeply gratifying to those whose sons and daughters tako passage for New Zealand to know that on their arrival here they are not neglected and uncared for (as was the case iv the early days of-immigra-tion to New York) and exposed to the baneful consequences which" their ignorance of the place and the character of some of those with whom the unsuspecting " new chum " comes in contact, must" assuredly entail. On the contrary, they are taken under the protection of the Government, housed, supplied with good, nutritious food, assisted in the procuring of employment, and during their sojourn at the barracks, they havo imparted to them that valuable advice and information which Mr and Mrs Smith's lengthened connection with the department enables them to bestow. The system adopted in this province may be briefly told; and now that the General Government have assumed the conduct of immigration throughout the colony, instead of its being, as heretofore, provincially administered, the same course, if it has not already been initiated, will be pursued in other places. When an immigrant ship from the old country drops anchor in Port Lyttelton, the j first to board her is the Health Officer, Dr | Donald, who has fulfilled the duties of that j office for a number of years. The necessary inspection over, Dr Donald passes the vessel if she is free from disease, but if infected, she is placed in quarantine, and the passengers are taken to the Quarantine Grounds on the opposite side of the Harbour close to the Heads, where they remain until thedaugcrs of contagion are entirely dispelled. The General Government are now erecting more convenient and commodious quarantine barracks on Ripa Island, in view of the increased impetus which has been given to immigration to this country. If the ship is passed, the Immigration Commissioners (Drs Donald and Rouse, Captain Gibson, and Mr J. E. March) then go on board for the purpose of inspecting the vessel. The Commissioners make careful inquiries as to the treatment which the immigrants have received on the voyage out, and whether the dietary scale has been in accordance with that stipulated for in the contract with the shipowners. After making a full and searching investigation, the Commissioners leave the ship and the result of their inquiries is officially made known to the Government, and is afterwards published for public information. Upon the Commissioners leaving the vessel, arrangements are made with the least possible delay for the disembarkation of the immigrants. They are brought to the jetty in a small steamer, and are conveyed by special train from Lyttelton to Addington station, and thence to the barracks, together with their luggage, free of charge. j The barracks at Addington are capable of affording accommodation to from 800 to 400 people. The premises are divided into three parts — one for the exclusive use of single women, another of similar extent for single men, and the third for families. The single women's department contains six dormitories, each capable of accommodating fourteen adults, together with wash-houaes, bathrooms, day, and dining rooms, kitchens, &o. An abundant supply of water is obtained from an artesian well, and there is a force-pump in the wash-house which fills the boilers and baths. As the buildings are of wood, every precaution is taken to prevent the occurrence of fire. The department is furnished with fire buckets, ladders, &c., and in the centre of the quadrangle there is a large stone tank which can be filled by means of a force pump in a very few minutes. The single men's department contains the same number of dormitories, &0., as the one we have just described. In that portion of the buildings Bet apart for families, each family is allowed an enclosed apartment to themselves, and accommodation can be given in this way to a humber of persons representing 150 statute adults. Children over 12 yeara of age are placed in the single departments of the Barracks, according to their sexes. After entering the gates, there is a spacious gentlemen s waiting room, suitably furnished and provided with writing materials, where intending employers wait until their turn comes to interview those whom they may desire to employ ; and adjoining the Barrack Master's residence, thero is another waitingroom for ladies who require the services of

domestio servants, needlewomen, and so on. At the top of the main entrance, on the right hand Bide, there is what is termed the " engagement room." It is here that all the engagements are effected on the third clear day after the arrival of the immigrants in barracks. These engagements are carried out under the superintendence of Mr March, or in his unavoidable absence, by another officer of the immigration department. Every care is taken to see that all engagements are bond jfide, and that the persons who employ the immigrants, especially the single women, are respectable ; and in the caße of employers who are unknown to the Immigration Officer, that gentleman, if he thinks it necessary, requests them to bring an introduction from a respectable householder. A very good plan is resorted to in order that the immigrant* may know the current rate of wages in tho province. Experience has shewn this to be a very necessary provision, as immigrants, led away by false information, have not infrequently been known to demand absurdly exorbitant ratos, and in familiar parlance to " stick out " for thorn until their expulsion from the Barracks has been rendered obligatory. On the afternoon prior to the day on which employers are admitted to the Barracks, printed forms are posted up in every compartment, indicating the current rates of wages for all kinds of labour, skilled and unskilled, bo that the immigrants know exactly what to ask and what to accept. All engagements aro made in writing by employer and servant, and witnessed by the Immigration Officer. These engagements are made so that it will be optional with the immigrant to change his situation after the expiration of one month's notice to that effect ; a similar notice is required on the part of the employer. This condition is manifestly fair tb both parties, because if an immigrant is dissatisfied with hiß place, or if he does not suit his employer, the former will in any event have a month's time to look about him for some other situation more: congenial to his feelings. In like manner an employer can get rid of an unsuitable servant" by forfeiting a month's wages or by giving the required notice. A record (in fact, the original agreement) is* kept of the immigrant's name and that of the person who engaged him or her as the case may be, so that inquiring friends can readily ascertain their whereabouts. Applications for married couples, single men, and Bingle women are received at the Immigration office for some weeks prior to the arrival of an immigrant ship, and employers are allowed to select on the engagement day according to priority of application. The Barrack master points out. to porsonß applying for married couples or single men those whom he has ascertained to be suitable for the respective situations, and the matron assists in like manner so far as the engaging of female servants is concerned. Any immigrant who refuses a reasonable offer is required to leave the Barracks at once, and the fact of such refusal is reported immediately to the Immigration Officer, and by him to the Government. Immigrants who have accepted service are required to leave the Barracks without delay, and are not re-admitted.

Having now described the modus operandi observed in tho engaging of immigrants on the third clear day after their arrival at Addington, we shall now proceed to refer briefly to the discipline that is enforced during their location there. Immediately on the immigrants reaching the Barracks, tho following code of rules is put into operation:-— 1. Accommodation in the Barracks ia afforded to immigrants newly arrived for one week after landing, and no longer, without special permission from tho Immigration Officer. 2. No person is allowed to enter tha Barracks except by an order from the Immigration Officer. 3. All immigrants accommodated in the Brrraoks must be in their rooms by nine o'clock p.m., and -must rise at six o clock from the Ist September to the 31st March inclusive, and at seven a.m. from the Ist April to the 31st August. The berths and floors must be swept and cleaned out before eight o'clock a.m. 4. Immigrants will be expected to air their bedding daily, and observe strict cleanliness at all times. 5. All slops must be carried to the places appointed for that purpose. 6. No immigrant must write upon, or in any way damage, any of the buildings. 7. No fire or light shall be kept burning in any room in the Barracks after 9 p.m., except under the direction of the Immigration Officer. 8. No smoking will be allowed at any time in any of the rooms of the Barracks. 9. No immigrant will be allowed to remain in the Barracks after obtaining employment, except with the permission of ihe Immigration Officer. 10. Any immigrant leaving tho Barracks before being engaged, unless authorised by tiio Immigration Officer, will not be re-admitted. 11. Any person who shall uso obscene language, become intoxicated, or violate any of the above rules, will be immediately expelled from the Barracks. 12. The Immigration Officer may require adult immigrants to do four hours'l work, daily during their stay in the Barracks. Some years ago a greater latitude was allowed to immigrants after their arrival at the Barracks than is now the case. They were permitted, for example, to make daily visits to Christchurch, but this freedom was oftentimes abused to such a degree that the authorities / resolved on putting an end to the {>ractice. At the present time any immigrant caving the Barracks' before being engaged, unless authorised by the Immigration -Officer, Iwill not be re-admitted — a condition. which, for the sake of the immigrants themselves, cannot be too stringently enforced; Those who come under the designation of "nominated immigrants " are persons whose friends in the colony have sent for them through the. Government, and these people are allowed to leave the Barracks immediately upon their friends calling for them. In the case of others who have not been nominated, but whoso* friends become aware of their arrival, it ia necesiary to obtain an order from the Immi-

gration Officer before the Barrack Master will permit them to leave the premises. While in Barracks, the single men and single women are on no account allowed to mix with each other, both departments being completely isolated.. A policeman is in Constant attendance to see that none of the rules of the establishment are infringed, and his services are not dispensed with until such time as the Barrack Master may deem his further attendance unnecessary. Immediately after the immigrants b^ any vessel have reached the Barracks, notice is given to the medical attendant (Dr Coward), who at once proceeds there to make the necessary inspection, and pays daily visits in -order to ascertain whether there are any cases reqairing his attention. Two clear days are given to the immigrants to wash and mend their clothes preparatory to their accepting the various situations which are offered to them whenever the Barracks are thrown open to employers, and those who decline to accept the current rates of wages (but these are comparatively few in number) are informed that they can be no longer accommodated at Government expense. This is a very salutary provision, because it prevents those who are inclined to idleness from indulging their " loafing" propensities at the country's cost. Rations upon a liberal Bcale are issued daily by the Barrack Master from a store on the premises, to which the various contractors forward the commodities enumerated in their contracts. For each adult, the ration consists of one pound of bread, one pound of meat, one pound of potatoes, two ounces of sugar, a quarter ounce of tea, salt, water, &c. ; and medical comforts are distributed to all who stand in need of them. It is the duty of the matron of each ship to keep a. diary during the voyage, and also to atate the character of the single women under her charge during that period, together with particulars of tho situation which each single woman has formerly held— Thia diary is handed to tho Immigration Officer on the arrival of the ship. Of the general result of our visit to the Immigration Barracks on Wednesday, we can state positively that it was of the most .satisfactory nature. We of course expected to see things a little ship-shape, but we hardly anticipated finding the place so very •clean and comfortable. In fact there was an hospital-like cleanliness about the whole premises that indicated the exercise of the ■closest supervision over all parts of the establishment by Mr and Mrs Smith- Somo additions have recently been made to the Barrackmaster's apartments, and the whole of the buildings have been re-shingled and otherwise made more comfortable than before. At the time of our visit, the immigrants by the ship Merope were spending their second day in the Barracks, and a better selection we have never seen arrive in this province. They all seemed cheerful and happy in their new location : some washing, others mending their clothes, others ironing, while others were engaged in the culinary arrangements of the mess to which they were attached. Inside the main •entrance, a number of single and married men were congregated round Sergeant O'Connor, putting the usual interrogatories to him that all new arrivals are in the habit of addressing to those whom they discover to have had a long experience in colonial_life._ While maintaining the discipline of the establishment with firmness, Mr and Mrs Smith have always had the good fortune to enjoy the respect and esteem of those placed under their -charge, and the best evidence of what we now advance is, that notwithstanding the peculiar and responsible nature of the position they hold, no complaints have ever been made against them — at least publicly. Kindness and civility, and an impartial discharge of their duty towards all, hate secured many friends to them from amongst those who have from time to time been quartered in the Immigration Barracks at Christchurch and Addington. Yesterday the Barracks were thrown open to employers, and of the immigrants who arrived at the Barracks by the Merope only eleven families and six single men remained for engagement in the afternoon. The whole of the single women readily obtained situations. The following were the rates of wages : — Married Couples, £52 per annum, and £10 extra if remaining 12 months. One family was engaged at 24s per week, with house and firing. Single Men. — General Farm Servants, £30 to £40, and £10 extra if remaining 12 months, Shepherds, £40 ; grooms, £30 ; boys, 5s to Single Women.— Cooks, £30 to £35; general servants, £20 to £30 ; housemaids, £25 ; nurse girls, £15 ; dairy-women, £25. Double the number of single women could, readily have been placed in good situations. The immigrants by this ship gave great satisfaction. They appear to have been carefully selected, and are well adapted to tho requirements of the province. The following are the trades of those yet remaining in Barracks ; — Families — Farm labourers, 4 ; labourers, 3; fitters and enginedrivers, 1; coach-smith and farrier, 1; storeman, 1; coachman, 1. Single Men — Farm labourers, 1; railway labourers, 3; blacksmith, 1; fitter, 1. I