AGGRIEVED IMMIGRANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1633, 27 December 1912, Page 4

AGGRIEVED IMMIGRANTS.

o _ HUSTLED AND INCONVENIENCED. Tho steamer Jlamari arrived at Port Chalmers curly oil Christinas morning wjth some 500 immigrants on'board.' Between 300 and 400 of theso were booked for the North Island, and, according to the statements of some of them, the officials of (ho shipping company appear to have hustled and inconvenienced them in ii quite surprising fashion. About midnight on Christmas JOve, it is stated, the immigrants we're told Hint a special train' would be put on next morning, when they reached port, to convey them from Port Chalmers to Lyltelton, where they would catch the ferry steanier Mararoa the same night and be brought on to Wellington. They arrived in pert in the early morning of Christinas Day, after, titeir voyage from England; were mustered for inspection at 6' a.m.; breakfasted at 8; had to get such of their belongings as they could lay hands on to tho train by 10.45 a.m.; spend their Christmas Day travelling on a train which had no refreshment car; arrived at Lytlolton in time to catch the ferry steamer to Wellington; and landed in this city yesterday morning, many of them without much of their belongings. They complain that some of them had no fcod while travelling from Dunedin to Christchurch, although others obtained supplies at Oamaru and Ashburton refreshment rooms; that amongst those who suffered most by being compelled to hurry and bustle and travel in tbis way were a number of women and children; and that some of thoso who were forced to leave without their luggage ore greatly inconvenienced thereby. The shipping company certainly has promised to forward on such luggage as the immigrants were forced to leave behind, but tha.t does not relievo tho immediate embarrassment. It is stated that the griovances of the immigrants will bo brought under the. notice of the Government.