J).— 9

1911. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION (ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sib, — Department of Immigration, Wellington, 18th July, 1911. Herewith I have the honour to submit the annual report upon the immigration which has taken place into New Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year 1910-11. I have, &c, Wm. C. Kensington, The Hon. George Fowlds, Minister of Immigration. Under-Secretary.

REPORT. During the year which ended on the 31st March last the number of persons who arrived in the Dominion from the United Kingdom totalled 10,334, consisting of 8,560 adults and 1,774 children. The majority of these persons made their own arrangements regarding passages. The number who were assisted by the High Commissioner, as detailed in the accompanying schedule, was 2,624 persons. These 2,624 persons were distributed among forty-two vessels, the largest number —namely, 201—being on the " Athenic," which left London on the 9th December last. The amount of capital known to be possessed by them was £37,735, making an average of £14 per head. The number of domestic workers who were assisted was 831. Nominations were accepted from persons in the Dominion for the passages of 1,458 persons, being 906 adults and 552 children, and the amount deposited towards the cost of these passages was £12,056. The number of wives coming out to join their husbands already here was 325, accompanied by 644 children. The practice hitherto in vogue of only granting passages to farmers and farm labourers so that they should arrive in New Zealand in the spring and early summer was continued during the past year. Each of the forty-two vessels enumerated in the attached schedule was visited by the Immigration Officer upon arrival at Wellington, and a perusal of the reports of that officer shows that he speaks in favourable terms of the character and physique of those who had been granted assistance and that the provision regarding berthing-accommodation was satisfactory. Early in the season the High Commissioner arranged with the three shipping companies trading direct to New Zealand that passengers at reduced rates should be carried in six-berth enclosed cabins. Hitherto these rates have not been available for other than two-berth and fourberth cabins. Having made the arrangements, the High Commissioner was in a position to notify the public in the United Kingdom that a farm labourer who was in possession of a capital qualification of not less than £10 could obtain a passage in a six-berth enclosed cabin at £8. The rates in the four-berth and two-berth cabins remain at £10 and £12 respectively. Owing to the great scarcity of female domestic workers, it was considered advisable to revise the rates previously in existence for young women of this class, and it was accordingly agreed that single female domestic servants should be given passages upon payments as follows: For a berth in a six-berth enclosed cabin, £2 165.; for one in a four-berth cabin, £4 16s. ; and for one in a two-berth cabin, £6 16s. These rates should have the effect of inducing a number of young women to emigrate to New Zealand, and be of material assistance to those associations in New Zealand that have been formed for the purpose of obtaining and introducing domestic helps or assistants into the Dominion.