CASE OF MRS. WILLIAMS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1437, 11 May 1912, Page 3

CASE OF MRS. WILLIAMS

SENT BACK FROM SYDNEY. The case of Mrs. Norah Williams, who was returned" from Sydney by the Warrinioo on Wednesday, lias been given some publicity* Mrs. Williams, who is 64 years of age, has lived in Lyttelton, Auckland (where she was kept by the Sister of the Poor), and in Wnnganui. Some- time ago-her daughter■ -wrote from Durban offering to provide her with a home. Mrs. Williams raised the .£l4 to pay her passage to South Africa, and she left for Sydney en route to Durban by the Maunganui three weeks ago. At Sydney the agents of the steamer Marathon (Dalgety and Co.) asked her if ehe had the .£2O . cash, which the South African Government demanded of all newcomers, and she had to inform them that she had not the money, whereupon she was "returned" to Wellington. She arrived back practically destitute, and was assisted by the passengers of the Warrimoo for her present needs. The local office of Messrs. Thoa. Cook and Son have received the- following communication with respect to this case from their- Sydney office:—"The Wanganui agent booked the above-named lady from Wanganui to Durban, and she left Wellington by the Maunganui on the 12fch of last month. :On arrival in Sydnoy, however, Dalgety's refused to carry her by the Marathon owing to the fact that sho had practically no money with her at all, and she was unable to read or write, and, although Wanganui stated that her married daughter in Durban was to meet her on arrival, and had arranged to sign : bond with tho Government, it did nof appear from letters in Mrs. ' Willinms's possession that she was to be met, and no mention was made of a bond having been arranged. We therefore got Dalgety's here to cable to their Durban .office, tr communicate with Mrs. Williams's daughter, and to cable back if arrangements had been mado in regard to th<landing, but a fortnight has elapsed and no reply is to hand, so it is evident thai no arrangements had been mado. Under tho circumstances it is impossible to ge any of the steamship companies to carry her in South Africa, autl have had no option but to return her to New Zealand, and she leaves hero to-day by tho Warri moo. Our object in writing to you is tlir , we have grave doubts as to whether Mrs. Williams will be able to land in New Zealand now, owing to tho fact that 6he i; unable to read or write."