Steady Flow Of British Migrants

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1948, Page 2

Steady Flow Of British Migrants

• Press Association) '

(Pe?

WELLINGTON, April' 5. TravelJing by sea and air, new settlers from the United Kingdom will arrive in New Zealand in a steady liow for the next five months, and by Cliristmas there should be 3000 workers added to the Dominion 's labour forre. M.ore than 2200 emigrants will leave in the next five months. The sailing dates of ships were announeed on Saturday by the iliiyster of Immigration (Mr. McLagan). The Ruahine is due at Wellington ahout April 10. There are 39 Goveriiment assisted immigrants 011 board tlris vessel, exelusive of priority passages granted by the Government to key workers paying their own fares. Thirty-tvvo of the 39 are staff for public hospitals. This will enable a wei-c-ome relief to be giv.en to hospitals in several eentres. Of the total draft, 24 have been allocated to employment in the North Island and 15 to the South island. Tlie Wairangi and Rimutaka are to leave Englaud this month, carrying 52. \ and 139 immigrants respeetively. The l Mataroa will leave early in May with | 190; the Tamaroa in June-July with 190; the Rangitata in July with 370; the Rangitihi in Angust with 220; the Rimutaka again in September \yith 139, and the Atlantis also in .September with 900. The Atlantis has now.| been secured for several years to como . and will be employed coutinuously and exclusively for immigration purposes. | The total of more than 2200 new . settlers leaving the United Kingdom! during the next five months, continued Mt. iteLagan, would be niainly tliose I wliose passages we-e paid by the (lovernment under the immigration selieme, but would inelude a numher of key workers to whoin tlie Government liacl granted immigration berths, but whose fares were being met othervvise than by! the Government. With the exception of the Atlantis, the ships lnentioned would varry in addition over 1300 ordinary fare-paving pass mgers, manv of wliom would be permanent new settlers making their own way liere, j and in some cases bringing families with them. There was also now a number of new settlers arriving by air, coneluded Mr, McLagan. Ln all, there should be an' addition of about 3000 workers to the labour force in New Zealand before Cliristmas. ' The number would have i been even larger if the Atlantis had not had to lay up for overhaul and an increase in her carrying eapacity. Nevertheless, the High Commissioner 1 in London was sfill pressing liard for! additional shipping, and it was hoped j to secure a further vessel for.iinmigra tion purposes early next vear. Iiuiica ! tions were, therefore, that 1949 should J sliow a eonsiderable increase in thel number of new settlers arriving in tlie Dominion.