NEW ZEALAND THROUGH AN IMMIGRANT’S EYES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18053, 13 January 1927, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND THROUGH AN IMMIGRANT’S EYES.

LANCASHIRE MAN TALKS COMMON SENSE. The following article by an old Westhoughtonian, Mr W. Brown, who has gone to seek his fortune in the Antipodes, appears in the Bolton “Evening News.” He gives interesting impressions of the beauty of the island scenery, but utters a warning to intending emigrants that they must not expect to find golden fruit merely waiting for the picking. Success only waits on keenness and industry among a pioneer people whose independence and selfconfidence are not to be gainsaid.

First Impressions. Our first impression from the ship was of a hilly, barren-looking place. We were all naturally interested to glimpse our future home, and as one Irishman said, “And this is -what we have left, home for.” Well, we were here at last after five weeks on board. Sailing up the harbour, we passed tho Massey Tomb and stood off Wellington for the medical staff to come aboard. You sign your paper of allegiance, pass the doctor, change your English money (if you have any) into New Zealand currency, and step ashore to the Customs, and then it's up to you! You are there! If you have friends to make to, so much the better. If not, you must fend for yourself as you have landed in a country where it is every man for himself, as you soon find out.

A meal and then the search for lodgings. Wellington is fairly well provided with good lodging places. The Salvation Army hostels and the Y.M.C.A. are hospitable. Well, you are here, the most important thing is to get a job.

Suspicious of “Homeys.” At the end of the first week I was fortunate enough to get in—temporarily. Naturally no little prejudice exists—it is human—against the “homey.” Not all New Zealanders are alike, but certainly many think you are coming to take their jobs and you have that to live down. My month’s trial is up and I have been taken on the staff. This month has been spent in Wellington; the hub of New Zealand, and a good business centre. I have had a fair chance of studying the work and conditions, and my opinion is that of casual labour there is plenty. Craftsmen would appear to be in fair demand, particularly for houses, or joiners and carpenters, plumbers, plasterers, etc. The housing shortage is perhaps worse here than in Bolton, and rents are very dear. A wood house of six rooms—all told—(one storey) rents about £2 os per week. If you wish to buy a house you pay about one-tenth on deposit, the rest off in rent, taking over the mortgage or Government loan. Food is very little different in price from England, clothes and boots are about 25 per cent dearer, pots and glass about 50 per cent dearer. So you must earn a fair wage to live in conditions equal to home. My next move was Wanganui, 120 miles north of Wellington. One must be prepared to move fairly long distances in New Zealand. INIy work is only obtainable in towns, and of course they are wide apart here. So a shift, for better or worse, means what to us at home is a long trek. River, Gorge and Mountains. In this part there is some wonderful scenery, river, gorge and mountain. Not much of the virgin forest remains. The 40 mile bush, through which we passed, was fired, and all around now are stark tree stumps, once huge monsters. now charred stumps. A farmer taking this land must clear it for the plough, and gradually farms have sprung up. After the fire, clearing and ploughing, I am told the soil is great, and will grow almost anything. But it means hard work first. A man coming here with a family and with no work to go to is taking on a big job. If he is willing he will not need to be out of work long* but may not strike the job he wants right away, and he may have to use one job as a stepping-stone to others. With wife, family, and furniture it is an expensive matter.

The majority of tradesmen here are of the “pioneer” type. If a painter cannot get a plasterer, he will plaster the job himself, and so on. The majority of houses are wood, and their average life 50 years. From Wanganui I then made about a 17 hours’ journey south to Christchurch, in the South Island. As I said before, my work is only to be got in towns —and towns of any size are a long way apart in New Zealand. One runs against Lancashire people almost everywhere. The following remarkable coincidence will, take some beating. One day I was serving in the shop, and overheard this_ remark by a customer: Shopman: “Nice suit you have on?” Customer: Yes, this was made in ‘Howfun.’ ” At this I walked over and said, “Yes, I made it.” It was so. I made the last suit he bought, in England and had the satisfaction of selling the first he bought in New Zealand. I did not know he was in Christchurch, and I had not the faintest idea of coming to New Zealand when I sold him his suit in “Howfun.”

About the People. I am afraid the first impression created of New Zealand is disappointing to a Lancashire man. The average New Zealander is a very conceited and very “cockv” person. I have yet to find the bashful or shy man or woman- here. The youngsters are, to our eyes, very “forward” and cheeky, and seem to have very little respect for their elders or even for their parents.

I have tried to find a reason, and can only conclude that the inbred pioneer “fighting for a living’ 1 spirit, making them self-reliant and forceful, is responsible. Personally, I think that militarism has much to do with the forwardness of young people. Boys of fifteen must become cadets, and youths must do military training. From the age of fifteen upwards they seem much older than the English and more selfreliant. Generali)* everybody seems better dressed, and the chemists do a roaring trade in face-powders and suchlike. The "womenfolk here do “dawb" it on —even the grandmothers.

People take sport very seriously here, too. Rugby football being the most popular game. Racing is very popular, and everybody seems to go, making picnics of race meetings. Gambling is very prevalent. I'have had a good opportunity of noticing the New Zealanders attitude towards the immigrant. Whilst they are slow to welcome a “Homey,” they

Amongst the 5c:...: . ~ • ; 11 ‘ ' •" bouring classes is a glowing resentment against the immigrants. It is not to be wondered at. There is quite a lot of unemployment among labouring people already, yet more are pouring in weeklv. The country cannot absorb them quickly enough. Works and factories are badly needed here. . , „ r jet. me make up a list ol Dont s for intending emigrants. Don't give up a living wage .ton at homo, to come to New Zealand, unless you have a positive job to come to. Don’t come if you are over forty. Don't bring a wife and family with you immediately. Get a job first. » 7** * vot-

ing to find money for nothing. ou will have to work just as hard as at home. Don’t come under the nominated passage scheme, unless you have enough money to pay off the balance of your passage money should you wish to return under five years. As a tourist country, yes—very pretty. But as a place for England’s surplus population it would be well, if I may say so, if about 5000 “Wigginers wi’ their .clugs on" could come and kick the foreigners out.