CHURCH OF ENGLAND IMMIGRATION SCHEME

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 July 1927, Page 2

CHURCH OF ENGLAND IMMIGRATION SCHEME

The arrival m Auckland of 32 boys under the Church of England Immigation Scheme on June 12th, and the fact that another contingent was due to sail from London on the 16th June by the Tamaroa, makes it advisable for a statement of our Immigration work to be put before the readers of the "Church Gazette." It should first of all be understood that this work was undertaken by His Grace The Archbishop at the very urgent request of the Council of Ovferseas Settlement ; that hody m London, with Lord Jellicoe at its head, is. alive to the danger which is before England to-day m the industrial world and also to the help which the Dominions can render the Mother Country by absorbing part of her surplus population. Some New Zealand critics here fail to appreciate this cold fact, that if England should fail commercialy, today, we m New Zealand must fail to-morrow, and therefore one of the

most helpful things which can be done at this time is to try to put into operation a practical scheme of immigration. This is exactly what the Church of England has endeavoured to do. Strong lads between the ages of 16 and 18 are selected m England, and the Committee m Auckland carefully selects suitable farms where the lads may be placed with the prospects of learning, farming. The proof of the success of our scheme .is contained m the fact that over 67 per cent, of our lads have remained m their first positions whilst 20 per cent, have changed tout once. This committee m Auckland endeavours to keep m personal touch with the boys; they are met on arrival, given full travelling instructions (written and verbal) , and for the first two years the committee sends home regular accounts to London of each lad's progress and his employer's reports. Of course we have some failures, but for the most part the scheme has worked well and both employers and lads have' been more than satisfied, and the appreciation of some of the lads for this real start m life repays the committee for "heir labours. This year we are importing, one hundred boys, the thirty-two who arrived by the S.S. Remuera on June I'Hh, have all been placed; it will help the committee's work if those farmers who intend to apply for lads this year will please do so without delay. Applications should be addressed to the Diocesan Secretary, Shortland St.. Auckland, for with the control of Diocesan social service work by the Diocesan office it will be necessary to transfer our work there. The scheme owes a deep debt of gratitude to Mr A. D. Stanley, who' has floated it, and now that it passes to the control of the Diocesan office it is hoped that it will have the support of the whole Diocese and province. Like all Church organisations, we need financial help, but our most urgent need at present is for New Zealanders to appreciate the true position here and m England and to help us to place these lads on suitable farms. Any information farmers may require can be obtained from the Diocesan Secretary. Shortland St., Auckland.