WOMEN MIGRANTS HARD TO OBTAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 6 November 1947, Page 5

WOMEN MIGRANTS HARD TO OBTAIN

Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Xov. 5. The Atlantis, whieh is due back in Routhampton at the end of November, is expected to sail again for Xew Zealand oji December 18 with 500 assisted immigrants, approximately 70 Navy and Air Force recruits and 50 returning lnirsary holders and businessmen. Although there are ample numbers of male applicants in all categories * ot assisted immigrants, applications from women, particularly clotliing and footwear operatives, doinestics and hospital nursing trainees, are coming in slovvly. It is anticipated that sufficient women to iill half the assisted immigrant quota on the Atlantis, will be forthcoming but at the present rate of reeruitment it is doubtful whether sufficient women will be available to Iill half the quota of 400 berths available for immigrant. s on the Rangitata whieh is due to sail for XYw Zealand on January L In an effort to stimulate the recruitment of women, the X'ew Zealand imimgration authorities in London are now advertising in local news{)apers in districts where there is a surplus of female labour. Oue reason for the small number of applications from women clotliing operatives, is undoubtedly the hign wages now being paid in Britain for this class of work. Many girls working as tailoresses and clotliing machinists for small London firms, are earnmg from £7 to £9 weekly exclusive of tax aiul on this basis ..the Xew Zealand rates are not proving suflficiently attractive. The sliortage of hospital trainees and domestics in Britain is quite as aeute as in X'ew Zealand. The iimnigralion authorities in Britain frequently receive apjilications from private persons in Xew Zealand who desire to bring out domestics as immigrants. The present immigration scheme, however, deals only with domestics for hospitals, hostefs and similar public- or semipublic institutions and does not maKe provision for domestics who desire to enter private employment. The case ot a "nanny " who was recently refusea a passage to enable her to join her jirevious emjiloyers in Xew Zealand, is an illustration of the effect of this ruling. It has been decided that when the Atlantis sails for Xew Zealand on her next voytige, 4(5 two-berth cabins on the upper declcs will be made available for sponsored businessmen and bursarv holders who desire to return to Xew Zealand. The charges for a berth in these cabins are £110 to £120 comparect with £70 in the case of eiglit and nine berth cabins allocated to assisted immigrants.