INDIGENT IMMIGRANTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 8

INDIGENT IMMIGRANTS

NO MONEY ON ARRIVAL APPLICANTS FOR CHARITABLE AID

The report of tho Charitablo Aid Committee, presented to yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charita'ble Aid Board, contained the following interesting clause:— The committee desires to draw the attention of the board to the increasing number of indigent females, in some cases widows with children, who are being admittod to the Dominion owing to lax oversight in the dispatch of • passengers from England and the absence of investigation as to means of subsistence on lnnding here, The chairman of the Charitable Aid Committee, Mr. G. J. Petherick, stated that cases had been dealt with where widows who had come to tho Dominion had had to seek charitable aid within a very few weeks of their arrival. Some representations ought to bo made to the authorities with a view of having that kind of thing stopped, ' Mr. F. Castle, chairman of the board, thought the Charitable Aid Committee should take it upon itself to draw the attention of the authorities to the matter, Mr. Petherick: We feel that while we might do that, if we had the weight of tho board behind us it would be far more effective. Mr. J. Glover.moved that a Teport w submitted to . the board showing the names of the women and the number of their children who had arrived in tho Dominion during tho last six months, and who had had to seek charitable aid. "If the Government are going to bring people out here without thoroughly investigating their cases to find whetherthey will have means of subsistence when they get here, then the Government will have to keep them," he said, Mr. Petherick: We don't BUggest that a largo number of these cases have been dealt with, but we are. looking to the future. Mrs. Snow was of opinion that it was wrong'to bring people into the country when there were not sufficient houses for them to live in. , . Mr. W. J. Thompson: "This is not a political affair by any means. lhe people who have been to the Charitable Aid Committee have not Tieen brought out by the Government. They are people who have paid their own fares, and havo had no money when they got here Mr. Thompson added that some of the applicants ' for charitable aid were unruly overseas seamen, who had been sentenced to terms of imprisonment, and whose vessels had sailed while they had been in gaol. The attention of the Government should be called to the matter. No action was taken with regard to Mr. Glover's motion, but it was resolved to bring the matter under the notico of, the authorities.

ton district needed, added the Minister. That -fact should he understood. j Mr. Parry's scheme, which had boen adopted by the Government, provided for linking up three sources of power in the North Island, namely, Mangahao, Wnikaromoana, and Arapuni, and the complete scheme was required. He had discussed this matter fully with the engineers of the Department, and he could sav that as soon as the plans and specifications had heen prepared a start would he made with the Waikaremoana scheme. The plans would be prepared directly the Department could 6paro men to draw them up, and then a start would bo made with the preliminary work at Waikaremoana.. It had been suggested that the work there should start in September, but if Maori labour could be secured for road contracts, something might be done earlier. A amount of preliminary road work would bo required. It was desirable that the schemes should be completed as nearly simultaneously as possible, but necessarily there would be intervals. The Arapuni site had not yet been definitely fixed, since there was still doubt about the suitability of the ground for dam construction.

He had been asked to say what power would be available for Wellington city. The scheme had been drawn up on a population basis. If anybody could suggest a better basis he would consider it, but the population basis seemed to him to be.be the reasonable one. The Mangahao plant was estimated to have a total installed capacity of 24,000 horsepow?r. or 18,000 kilowatts, and the total population to be supplied was 169,532. This Rave .142 horse-power, or .105 kilowatts, per head.of population, with tho whole plant running at full lood, standby provision to be made elsewhere. The allocation of the power.was as follows:—

lation. h.p. vmtts. Wlinirton Oity 84,049 12.0C0 9,000 Hutt Valley 20.756 J..C00 2,2 M Otaki sub-station • 8.351 1.200 900 Shannon sub-station 18,725 2.«0 2.000 Bunnythorpo sub-station 27,080 3,600 2,900 Dannevirke sub-station 10,591 1.400 1,000 169.532 24,00018,00(1 These figures, said the Minister, 6howed the allocations according to the populations to lie served by the various stations. But it was (possible that some of the stations, such as'Otaki and Shannon, would not 'be in a.'position nt once to use jill the power allotted to them. If this was the case, Wellington city would be able to use the surplus, but' there would be a clear that each station would be entitled to its full allocation as soon ns the power was required. He was not. in a position to make a definite statement regarding Mns--terton's shhre of tho power. He. would consult the engineers and then communicate with the member for the district and the Mayor of the borough. Woodville had asked for the services of an engineer to advise regarding local schemes. Probably thht could be arranged at a later date. Mr. Birks: It will have to be later. The district would have to employ a consulting engineer to develop the work. Supply of Materials,

Mr. Coates said tho Department was prepared to assiot any district, with advice. Questions relating to the supply of materials for the hydro-electric works had brcn very carefully considered by t><° Department. He did rot want to muddle along. But the difficulties were very great. If the deputation could tell him when essential roatcrinls and plant would become available, ihen he would he able to say definitely when the works would be completed. That was the crux of the question. Materials hsid 'been bought in many parts of the world, but «l)ip<; were not bringing them to Nw Zealand. Plant had been on order for as long as two years, and delivery wj still uncertain. Prices had advanced in the meantime in some enses and certain contract* had boen cancelled owing to the rise of prices. The position was now looting better. Mr. Holmes: It is to a certain extent. T J-iive been in communication with hrmn in" England regarding excavators and nmchir-o finis, nnd the decline to fliiote. Mr. Coatfs: "Most of you are.business ™»n and vou understand th? <.)tnculties. The Government is most anxious to wish forward the work. T t>m most kern about d-velouinu'the hvdro-el'ctric resources of New Zealand. T am only «mo Kind meet vou and iivw»M th«,^ f ;. The Minister «Hdrd ln conclusion thnt V had been glad to hear M Hio ™rnihro of Parliament W "" mh r , " ) nn Tnesdnv were sntinned with the pro,!U now being made, He did not doubt that more energy would bo nut into the work. The Department would be able inthe future to ' employ more men and make more