A PRESSING WANT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 65, 25 July 1874, Page 6

A PRESSING WANT.

The totally inadequate provision made by the Government for the reception of the large number of immigrants which are being landed on our shores, has made itself painfully apparent during the past week. Vessel has followed vessel in such rapid succession, that the efforts now being made to remedy the evil, and provide temporary accommodation are of but small avail, and have resulted in providing shelter for scarcely half the demands made. The Government have themselves alone to thank for the present state of affairs, for, being advised of the date of sailing of each vessel with immigrants consigned to this Province, it was their bounden duty to have made such preparation for their reception and accommodation as should have relieved them of their present dilemma. The immigration barracks, which provides for eight hundred persons, was com-

pelled to shelter half as many more, and although every .•ivailable inch of space was called into requisition, and the unfortunate inmates huddled together like so many bales of merchandise, the Quarantine Island had to be resorted to. The arrival of the Sussex, however, capped the climax, the unfortunate passengers being subjected to an enforced detention for several days after n her arrival. Under ordinary circumstances, this inigW be looked on as a great hardship, and its passengers the victims ot gross stupidity and mismanagement ; but their lot is an enviable one when contrasted with that of many persons who Jare forced to wander about the city, vainly" seeking a shelter for the night — absolutely houseless and homeless. These are strong statements, and to those who are happily innocent of their bitter truth, may seem overstretched ; but we assure our readers that the amount of hardship and misery at present experienced through the want of house accommodation is such as but few can realise. Night after night are the various hotels actually besieged by applicants for shelter, and we have been informed by one landlord that he is nightly compelled to refuse accommodation to at least three dozen. The following statements, the accuracy of which we can vouch for, may serve to give some idea of the extent of the evil, and the absolute necessity for immediate steps being taken to alleviate the distress consequent thereon. Some time since a laboring man became the occupier of a small house, the landlord of which had vacated it in consequence of his wife being ordered to remove for change of air. At the time of letting the house he informed the tenant that he would not require it for some months. However, before that time had elapsed, the tenant received a week's notice to give up possession, and as he failed to secure another house at the stated time, double rent was demanded, and eventually his wife, children and furniture thrown into the street. The unfortunate husband, on going to his dinner one day, learned the state of affairs, and, putting a man to work in his place, he spent the afternoon and night in the vain endeavor to secure a place in which to house his wife and little ones. At length, sometime about midnight, he was informed of a stable which had been put up for sale, and which might at least afford some protection from the bitter piercing wind. There he took his wife and little ones, and with such shelter as a deserted stable could afford was the night passed. When we bring to mind the piercing winds which characterised the weather of the past week, to any one who has a heart fco feel, this poor woman and her helpless children must be an object of the greatest commiseration, and loud would be the denunciation of the conduct of the landlord. But nark what follows : The sfcory got noised abroad, and vhile there were many who sympathised with the unfortunate woman, there were others who viewed the matter in a Hfferent light. The poor accommodation of the vacated stable was a boon not to be despised, and forty-three persons — men, women and children — sought its shelter the succeeding night. We have always held that the Colony afforded ample scope for all those who might cast their lot with ours ; but that the administration of our immigration both here and at home is capable of much reform, we feel bound to declare. The injudicious mode of selection in the first instance we have spoken of before now, and that the means taken to provide for the absolute want of those we have taken such pains to secure, has been systematically neglected, must be apparent to everyone. The large number lately arrived, in addition to those already selected and on their way, ought to amply supply the wants of the community for some time ; and we feel convinced that were a stop put to indiscriminate immigration, and the system of nomination resorted to, the Colony would be greatly the gainer. It is but fair to presume that if nominated immigration were alone in force, wo should secure a thoroughly respectable class of colonists, as settlers, as the very fact of their nomination, would be a guarantee for their" good behavior and character. While on this subject we may mention the fact that on looking over the journals of the House of Representatives for the past year, we found amongst the despatches of the Agent-General to the Government one giving the list of emigration agents appointod in Great Britain and Ireland, and we were somewhat struck with the disparity of agents in proportion to the populatioE in the four couatries. In England there irere 33 agentu accredited by Dr. Feathebston ; Ireland vvas allowed 8 ; Wales, 1 ; whilst Scotland had the modest number of 74, or almost double the total number allotted co the other three countries.