D.—ld
6
The single men were engaged principally as farm labourers, at from £25 to £35 per annum and found, with a bonus of £5 to £10 promised at the end of twelve months. The single women received nearly tho same rates of wages as previous shipments from England. The following were the rates : —■ Cooks . £20 to £30 per annum. General servants ... ... ... ... ... ... £15 to £20 „ „ Nurses £12 to £20 „ „ Housemaids ... ... ... ... ... ... £20 ~ ~ Dairymaids ... ... ... ... ... ... £18 „ „ Dressmakers ... ... ... ... ... ... £25 ~ „
In concluding this report, I desire to acknowledge the great assistance I have received in disposing of this shipment from Mr. Kuddenklau, President of the German Association, and from Mr. Cohen, of the firm of Petersen and Co., the latter gentleman especially having rendered me very valuable service, both during the time the immigrants were in barracks, and after they had been distributed throughout the country. Mr. Cohen has been at considerable expense and trouble to further the interests both of Germans and Scandinavians, travelling considerable distances to arrange matters between masters and servants; and I am much indebted to him for help and advice. J. E. March, Immigration Office, Christchurch, 24th October, 1872. Immigration Officer.
No. 9. Memorandum No. 10, 1872, for the Agent-General, London. Herewith I forward copy of a letter from Mr. Sievewright, of Dunedin, with reference to procuring emigrants from Shetland, for settlement on Stewart's Island, and I should feel obliged by your giving Mr. Sievcwright's suggestions your special attention. Lands and Immigration Office, G. Maurice O'Horke. Wellington, New Zealand, 28th October, 1872.
Enclosure in No. 9. Mr. Sievewrigiit to the Hon. D. Keid. My Dear Sir,— Dunedin, 25th September, 1872. I have had nothing to bother you about of importance, and as I know your precious time is fully occupied now, I shall be as brief as possible. My object now is to induce you to use your influence to persuade the Minister of the Immigration Department to cause the Agent-General to send proper instructions to Mr. Birch, who is now in Shetland, and of whom and of whose position my brother writes as follows (on 21st July) :— " I have seen a good deal of Mr. Birch, and if the New Zealand Government only back him up rightly, I have no doubt of his succeeding in getting a colony of Shctlanders established in Stewart's Island. " He appears to have come unarmed with definite instructions as to fishermen, and he very properly won't commit himself to them in anything special. It is a pity he cannot do so. lielying upon the information given to you and by you to me, I have ever since I got your letter been privately encouraging fishermen to emigrate when the opportunity offered, the advantages to them being very great. Mr. Birch says he is daily expecting instructions from New Zealand ; and I hope, when they come, they may be such as one can honestly urge the Shetland fishermen to close with. " I would gladly aid Mr. Birch in his mission ; but while he hangs fire as to the terms upon which he will take fishermen, I confess Ido not care to press the cause of emigration among them. If the advantage to this class of emigrants be great, the advantage to the Colony will be great also ; but unless your Government furnish them with the means of prosecuting their fishings, their calling is worth nothing to them there." You will observe from (he above, that the very thing wanted has not been supplied to Mr. Birch, viz., power to pledge the Government to supply the men with boats, lines, &c, at the start. The necessity for this is self-evident: fishermen cannot work as navvies, they are not accustomed to road work like common labourers. Their calling is special, and you must supply them with tools as you would navvies or others following special trades, and giving up their existing means of livelihood. I feel strongly on this point, as I know the effect has been very damaging to the cause in Shetland. The population is between thirty and forty thousand. The other classes of immigrants no doubt can be obtained, and will be obtained there as elsewhere; but for Stewart's Island you must have these fishermen as a foundation for a settlement. I may mention that my brother is a person capable of judging, being a manager of estates as well as a solicitor and banker, and therefore in the way of influencing emigration. I have, &c. The Hon. Donald Eeid, Esq., Minister of Public "Works, B. Sievewright. Wellington.
No. 10. Memorandum No. 11, 1872, for the Agent-General, London. Herewith I forward copies of a correspondence with the Immigration Ofliccr at New Plymouth,