IMMIGRATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1552, 23 September 1912, Page 6

IMMIGRATION.

!••,;. ! WORK OF LONDON OFFICE, i .. BEDTJCED-RATE PASSAGES. ! .:' ; . ■■ •■ —— i -REPORT BY MR. T. E. DONNE. ; Attached to tho Higk Commissioner's I report, which was presented to Parliament I, on>Friday, is an interesting statement by f the Immigration officer on. the I Figji Com- \. tojissioner's staff (Mr. T. E. Donne). Somo ;■ ■' extracts from tho report arejtppendcd:— i 'Following are tables showing a comparison of the number of persons dealt with under the reduced-rate passage scheme for '■■; the years 1910-11 and 1911-12:— ',■-. ..■.. 1910-11 1911-12. i Applications received 2,8f18 4,835 1 Applications approved ...... 1,758 2,231 :' /Applications'declined, abani ' donod.'and in abeyance ... .1,110 2,01)j Persons' to whom reduced- .• ■-.•■- ;. rate passages were granted •'■ who,- proceeded to New ■. \ -Zealand— " Farmers 50G S2O Single women domestic . -servants 831, 1,020 Wives rejoining .their . ■ . 'husbands 325 397 i,. ■' [ .\ ' -'•■'■■•,-■■ - 1,662 1,937 1 Total ;-number of souls ...... .2,631 3,300 Norainated-in New Zealand 713 84G There-was an increase of 68G in the' number of souls booked. 'Duringlast season,,by arrangement with ' the shipping companies, v two extra steamers - were scheduled to sail for New Zealand—viz., the s.s. Tongariro and the ,-..' . s.s. Mainari—which left London on October 20 and December. 12, and carried 358 and 491 reduced-rate "passengers respec- '■ tively. : " '•• '• '"' ■'

Scarcity of Steamers. ■ Owing to our not being able to secure sufficient accommodation, the usual conRation of applications ond nominations for reduced-rate-passages occurred, preventing, a large number-of intending emi-grants-from proceeding, to' New Zealand at tho reduced-rates, and they had either to pay ordinary fares and sail during the ■winter months or else wait for the present season's bookings. The demand for -accommodation to New Zealand-has been so great -that- at- times - all third-class berths were booked ;up fully three months in advance."'! feel'certain that two, or even three.- additional steamers could have'been readily filled with'emigrants for New Zeajand , had they beon -available. The Erst steame'robf the season by which farm2rs and nominated ;persons,<. other,- than "domestic servants," were! forwarded was ihe -'s.s./.Xiumu,'; which left London on :and the final steamer'was the .'>.&■'Turakina, ■ which sailed from Londori'on, Jah'uaiv 20,1912.! I .would sug-gest-for/consideration- that, .as,far as poswho arc nominated' by. relatives, resident, in, should,be J>ermitted;'to'<trayel : between and '. as'to relievo tho: demand, tor. accommodation which occurs /during • tho August-December season,-■ it'.; being ar-! ranged for the ■nominators in New Zealand to ! undertake- to provide-work for, their nominees immediately onarrival. I must reiterate that,-in-my opinion, farmers and farm;hands,could : with advantage be. sent in-June, and July.-sp as to ar-rive;fri-New-Zealand in.July.and August respectively,;; in -which case farmers could' purchase, farms, and begin operations immediately .after winter; and farm -labourers bould --hire-themselves to farmers inHrae for ploughing and other early operations.- The ahionnt of capital submitted. for ; :inspection by the ' Department and' taken to :Nciv Zealand :'by reduced-rate passengers amounted to ,£33.f122, but it is Known that-this-did not' fully represent the'total .-sum of'money taken by these : passengers. Many of .themTTis a rule, merely declared the amount of capital necessary to comply with existing condias they did not desire that their financial position should be. generally khown.,- ; ■■ ,■ ' < -..- . '.- . •'

y ; The People Who Emigrate. The class of fanner, farm labourer, and single woman domestic servant who apply | . . for.reduced'rate passages are, speaking in ;■■ general_ terms, Tery, high and satisfactory, '•• and'it is'riot ofton that such passages are '■: declined for lack of good character. Largo ;■'' " numbers : 'of applications' are 'received from those who are not eligible for con- ;■ inrespect of- reduced-rate pas- ! sages; many of them who have had farming experience in early life having taken lip other forms of employment, and many of the girls having been employed in factories or-other occupations outside of domestic.service. In all cases strict inquiries are made as to character and health, as'well as other suitability, before reduced-rate'passages are granted. The ages of persons to whonrreduced-rate paspages'are given is restricted to fifty years as a maximum for'farmers," and thirtyfive years for domestic servants, the minimum' acre in both cases being ' seventeen years. In all cases where the person applying is under twehty-onb years of age, .'•■ the written consent to their going to New Zealand is obtained from the - parents or : guardian.,.. The practice of sending a matron witt.parties -of not less than twenty-five.girls.has been maintained, and it is found that a good type of highlyprincipled certificated medical nurses are willing to proceed to .Now Zealand as matrons on the voyage. It is gratifying to note "that tho Teporh ofrthe matrons ' and the. Immigration 'Officer in New Zealand show the type an(f class of persons who are being sent to New Zealand under the Government immigration scheme to be quite satisfactory. Population Buoyant, The' : followirig table of the population . end comparative increase' of tho countries named- for., the last' ten years, 1901-11, shows that New Zealand obtained a very gratifying percentage. ' '( '■• .': ' ■ '. :' ' \ ' ;lncreas,B- ---' : Populations.' per '.■•'■.■•■ 1901,".-■ 1011. Cent. ' .-■■■ New Zealand ..; ' 772,713 '■ 1,(I08,'468 30.509 ~■■; .Australia ...'.;. 3,773,801 4,449,403 17.904 " Union of South ',• Africa.....'. ,4,902.188 5,058,499 19.356 ! Canada 5,371,315 7,081,809 31.84G ; Advertising. The amount expended in advertising during the year for the promotion of im- ■ migration to New Zealand was ,£834 2s. 9d., covering advertisements in newspapers, magazines, show catalogues, etc., tho weekly distribution of news items, principally in reference to farming in \ New Zealand, tho preparation! and issue j of'pamphlets, maps, lantern-slides, and ! show-bards'. Tho amount recovered in.con- ! nection with advertising was ,£505, leaving, a net cost of advertising on account of immigration at .£329 2s. 9d. The stock [ of lantern-slides for lending purposes has been increased by 1500. and now covers a good range of agricultural,', industrial, i scenic, and other subjects. An additional pamphlet "containing comprehensive in-formation-respecting "farming;-in New Zealand has been prepared, and is now in courso of printing. • ~'----