SURPRISE AT AGE OF LATEST IMMIGRANTS

Chronicle (Levin), 12 August 1947, Page 6

SURPRISE AT AGE OF LATEST IMMIGRANTS

■Press Association

Bv Telearavh-

Al'CKLAXI), August II. Surprise at the mutiber of elderly British people who were obtuhiing pas •uiges to settle i ti Xi'w Zealand, wio ixprcssed by vounger passengers aud oiliccrs in the iiner Akaroa which ha■irrived from Southampton. Hixty per tent, of the 190 passeiigers were mere Mian 50 years of age, it'' was stated. Many older pas.sengers came liere to joiii \ diildren or other relatives. Sonie were j hivalids. Young ] \e>|>le who wished to make a new life in the Domiuion said thev expecred fellow passengers to be pqually young. Tliev know of many -•killed workers who would be an assel to Ihe Doniinion and who was anxiously awaiting passages. A young Wellington nianuJ'acturer said that after vainl.v Itrying to get a passage for a 17-vear-old youth wliom he wanted to make an apprentice, he was disagreeably surprised to see- so many berth$ taken by people who were beyond the. age for work. A long wait for a. passage was experienced by a family from T alton. Bedforshire. irff arviewed on arrival they said thev had to wait 18 months, in which timo- they sold three homes, each lime in Ihe belief that a passage was ready for them. They came hero for '' n beiler liroak iu lifo for the W children".