ARRIVAL OF IMMIGRANTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 769, 2 October 1900, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF IMMIGRANTS.

(iJY TKLKORAI'II—I'UKSS ASSOCIATION). Wellington, Last Night. A TASTY of 34 immigrants, the first of Mr Ranstead's contingent of 150, arrived by the Mararoa yesterday. They .are mostly young men of the artisan class, but unfortunately they appear to have had no well defined information as to our land laws. When informed they would have to take their cliancH of acquiring land at the balbtbox in the same way as the other settlers they were taken aback, being under the belief that they could obtain holdings from the Government and go straight upon them. Mr Rano'stead, who i 3 following with another party, is evidently under the same impression, as he wrote to the men last week advising them to keep together, and procure tents, etc. to make a start immediately. Fifteen of Mr Randstead's immigrants waited on the Labour Department this morning and stated that they knew perfectly well the conditions under which they were coming to the colony, and had no complaint to make. AU this lot have obtained situations, some of them at their trades and others on co-operative works ; but they are still in hopes of being able eventually to get together on a block of land under the ballot system. As far as they themselves were concerned they disclaimed any responsibility for the statements which have been published as to their ignorance of the conditions under which the whole parly came out.