BELGIAN WOMEN IMMIGRANTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2518, 20 July 1915, Page 5

BELGIAN WOMEN IMMIGRANTS

SUGGESTION CANNOT BE CONSIDERED. In the annual report of the Immigration Department the matter of encouraging lioiieless Belgian women to sottle in New Zealand was referred to in this wise:— ' .

- _ "The question of offering special facilities to Belgian women to come to New Zealand as domestic servants has'been under consideration, and tho High Commissioner is now making inquiries with a view to ascertaining how far tho proposals of the Government are likely to prove acceptable. It is not the desire of the Department to take advantage of the distress of tho Belgian people to promote its own special schemes of immigration, but rather to offer such opportunities to the Belgian , women as they may desire to take advantage of. In the case of such immigrants tlie Government propose to nay the whole passage money to New Zealand." A letter covering the offer was forwarded in April last through the. High Commissioner, who has cabled Minister, (tho Hon. Sir H. D. Bell) as follows:— '

"Immigration.—With' reference; to your letter of April 7, Belgian' Minister states that owing to the heavy loss in population sustained during the war the Belgian Government much regret they are unable to consider the suggestion for the , encouragement of immigration of Belgian women. Wishes to express thanks bind proposal of New Zealand Government."