IMMIGRANT GIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1726, 17 April 1913, Page 5

IMMIGRANT GIRLS.

HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION.

CLAIMS OF THE Y.W.C.A. HON. H. D. BELL INTERVIEWED,/ About forty ladies and half a dozen members of tho other sex waited upon tiio Hon. H. 1). Bell (Minister for Immigra-f tion) yesterday to protest against his announced decision in the matter of providing accommodation at ports of arrival for girl immigrants from Great Britain. Tho deputation, wluch was introduced by Dr. Newman, 11.]'., reprcsonted primarily the Young Women's Christian Association, but it was stated that it had tho support, in addition, of no fewer than ten philanthropic institutions and other bodies.' Miss Birch, secretary of the Y.W.C.A., said that in embers ot her organisation had read in llio papers "with some shock" ot the decision of the Minister to subsidise only the hostels of ,tho Girls' iriendly Society for tho reception of girl immigrants. For a number of years tho I.W.C.A. had takon a considerable part in the housing of girls, and their object in coming to tho Minister was to ask tiiat they should be given their own gharo ot this responsible work. Tho Y.W.C.A. liau liomes in 21 countries, and in many towns in each of these countries, and hnil always considered tho provision of hostel accommodation as part of its work. They wero in constant communication with tho Homo Land. For instnico, IS Igirls on the lonic (duo in Wellington to-day) had written to tho local branch of tlw Y.W.C.A. Up (a (lie present timo tho Government had permitted the association workers to go out in tho pilot boats and give the addresses of their various homes to immigrant girls. On last Boxing Day there were 23 immigrant girls and two matrons in the Wellington hostel. Appreciation of the work of tho Y.W.C.A. was shown in tho fact that very often, ot its religious and social gatherings, jgirl.i from overseas wero in the majority. Miss Birch read resolutions of protest against tho decision of the Minister (to subsidise only tho Girls' Friendly Society hostels), passed by. the Auckland, Wellington, and Invercargill branches of the association. The resolutions stated in effect that the Girls' Friendly Society was governed by ono denomination, whereas tlie Y.W.C.A. was an inter-denominational body, nno urged that tho Y.W.C.A. had a good claim to a share in the work of accommodating girl immigrants, and should re. ceive a Government subsidy for carrying it out.

Mr. .T. G. W. Aitken spoke as a. member of the' Advisory Board of tlia Y.W.C.A. Ho'said that ho remembered well being summoned to a meeting of the board, called to discuss tlie question of providing accommodation for the girls' who wero to arrive by steamer in the following week, all (ho rooms then at disposal being filled up. Mr. Bell: Just so. Mr. Aitken said Hint tho association there and then sst to work to put on an additional stor.v to the house and so provide ' accommodation for 13 additional girls. These rooms were put 011 simply to accommodate girls from overseas. Jlr. W. Allen strongly supported tlio request advanced lay previous speakers. .Mrs., Atkinson.said that she represented nine different organisations, all of'which earnestly supported the request advanced ~'>y the'deputation, ' Tlio hostels of tlio • Girls'. .Friendly Society W cro always full, and sho had on numerous occasions failed to get girls admitted to them. It would ho much better for both bodies if tho work were divided. Another point to lie considered was as to whether there could not bo some oversight over tho girls for say a year after they landed. Mr. Bell said that this was being nrjanged, Hitherto .reports had been received by. tho labour Department. Henceforth tlicy would be received by tho Department of Immigration.

THE MINISTER IN REPLY. A KNOTTY PROBLEM. Mr. Bull, in replying, said that if lia told them. how ho arrived at (his decision they would understand better , tho present position. Ladies all over tho country, including no doubt those who were present, were entirely dissatisfied with the number of girl immigrants for domestic servants who were being induced to come to New Zealand, and desired that tlio number should be increased. At 4 tho timo when ho took offico thero was not tho slightest necessity for any arrangement for homes. Tho girls, wero . engaged before they -could get away from the ship. Tho 'records of the Labour Department showed that no girl had stayed ior more than a nominal time, in any post. Tho prosent Government had declared its intention of largely increasing tho immigration of domestic servants. This involved a probablo necessity for .Government acoom-. niodation at each of. tho four ports in. which girls could bo safely lodged under : Government protection. Tlio Government already, provided for tho protection of', the girls on shipboard by employing mat- ' roiis who were qualified in every eenso —they were trained nurses. Called upon. to provide for the protection of tho ifirls from the timo when they left tho ship until they reached their new homes, the Government had to chooso between building hostels and selecting hostels conducted by existing institutions. Tho objection to Government hostels was that they would havo to bo maintained continuously at great expense, but would stand empty for tho greater part of tho year. Therefore tlio other alternative had to bo adopted. His hearers l;ad thought that ho had only tho dhoice of two societies, but thero wero many others. Tho Overseas' Club had put in a most insistent request in respect of homes wliicll they proposed to erect. x

Dr. Newman: It has got 110 money. Mr. Bell: I am coming to the point of money. However, I have received protests ' not only from your splendid society, but fwm 'Catholic organisations and from , several others—l'dont want to name' them. I confess that I was under (ho impression that the Girls' friendly Society was not a strictly religious organisation. The Minister went on io say that: in malting a cluiico from amongst existing societies her had sought, and obtained feminine 'advice., lie had considered it necessary to soled; n local organisation which had homes in each of the four ports, and would enter into a contract to placo rooms at his disposal for tho reception of Government, immigrants to a number which lie would name, and for tho financial consideration which ho' would bo prepared to pay. Ho had not vet completed a contract with the 1 Girls' friendly Society, but if its controlling authorities wcro prepared to subscribe to.tho conditions 110 had indicated, they had his promise that tlio contract shoulil bo made, This, iu his opinion, would not prevent a similar arrangement bsing iii.klo with tho Y.W.C.A. He wished to niako it clear that the societies accepting tho conditions offered 1., v the Governmon\ must become Government agents so fai as tho reception of immigrants was com corned, and that their oiliccrs must be> - como Government officials, tyo did not to intorfero with, the right of tho different societies to approach girli on arrival provided ho was satisfied witl tho chargo into which tho girls went. The arrangement which lio proposed to inalco with tho Girls' friendly Society and the Y.W.C.A, could not ijo spread over a great number of institutions, because if it wcro tho idea of Government protection would almost entirely disappear. Hi wished to have homes under Government | control to which girls could go if they so desired. Tho Minister wont 011 to say that, ho would limko no definite promise, but that: so far ho was quite prepared to oll'ei tho samo contract to the Y.W.C.A, 'jis ho intended to offer to the Girls' friendly Society. _ 111 making this denarture from his original decision (which lie still thought right) to inalco use of ouo existing institution, he wished to make it clear that lie was not going to subsidise three or four institutions. , Mrs. Atkinson predicted that the Minister would not bo troubled with any further applications. Mr. Bell: You will find that you aro wrong. , Dr. Newman, in thanking tho Minister ior receiving tho deputation, paid that they had come exporting a square deal, and would go away quite satisfied that they wcro Eoing to cot it-