ASSISTED IMMIGRANTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1774, 12 June 1913, Page 5

ASSISTED IMMIGRANTS.

NEW DEPARTMENT AT WORK. ' A reporter who made some inquiries yestordav at tho offices of the lately established Department of Immigration gathered that its machinery is working very smoothly. So far not a single complaint has been lodged by anyone of tho hundreds of assisted immigrants with whom the Department has had dealings. Unassisted immigrants the Department does not profess to cater for to the same extent. For the benefit of assisted immigrants an elaborate organisation is provided. Prior to the arrival of an immi- . grant ship, people in tho Dominion who 'have relatives aboard are notified by lettor, or telegram if necessary, so that they may be on hand to meet their friends if they so desire. During the passage out the immigrants are divided into groups, according to the parts of the Dominion for which tney are bound. On arrival they fire each presented with an envelope containing; the necessary directions to enable them to reach their ultimate destinations!. They are informed also that further information .can be obtained from the Immigration Apartment if they require it. Under this system, 260 assisted immigrants (including 78 domestic servants) who arrived by tho Corinthic on Tuesday were landed and sent off'to their destinations K-itliout delay and without a single hitch occurring, It is quite clear that peome who como out upon their own responsibility cannot be assisted in this systematic ■wav, for it is an essential feature of tho system of assisted immigration, that the Department is notified in good time of tho impending arrival; of immigrants, and eo is enabled to make all necessary preparations for their reception before they reach New Zealand. On the other hand, the Department maintains an inquiry office at which, any immigrant, whether assisted or not, can obtain such information ns he or sho may desire on tho subject of accommodation, itineraries of travel, and so forth. The Department only recognises responsibility, however, in the ease of those people who come to it from the High Commissioner in London. . In some m- ■ stances unassisted immigrants rather recent being questioned. Besides the inquiry bureau of tho Department, other source's of information are open to the new arrival?. Representatives of .various .religions and philanthropio bodies customarily go out with the Port Health Officer to arriving steamers, and in one way or another it is not very difficult for immigrants to ascertain where they can find suitable accommodation or how they may proceed from the port of arrival to their . \jltimate destinations.