IMMIGRATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 63, 8 December 1920, Page 8

IMMIGRATION

WHAT. THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING AID FOR THE NEW ARRIVALS . The complaints ""made by Lord Milner, .and published as cabled reports in New m Zealand, newspapers, that numerous ox- r P Borvice-meu in different parts of the Em- ( ' £ complained' that no arrange- S. 1 itients wei\» made for their reception in "! itheir new homes, and- that they were not • assisted.to employment, havo brcn an- '" *i v v ed £ y tlie Emigration Department or ci- New Zealand in a communication pub- i lißhed below. Tho officer-in-charge of • ' tho Department complains that news- VJ papers-throughout the Dominion have ')• assumed that the complaint has been ~ levolled against New Zealand bb well as ~, other portions of th 3 Empire. "As far {" 'us this Dominion i 3 concerned," says the ". circular, "the charge is quite incorrect, st and there is no foundation for it. In ..:, New Zealand emigrants are classified as— j^ Nominated: General, farm labourers, 1V( Miners, and domestics. Applied: Artinans, mechanics, etc., farm labourers, r\: Winers, and domestics; and ex-service 0 f nien under the Imperial overseas settle- 0 „ >aent immigration scheme." pi Work of Department. |j "Tn the first place it should be clear- w '])* understood that all immigrant vessels h( ore met by officers of the. Department. B 'i On arrival in New Zealand the immi- BJ grants nro met on board by these officers, | n ■who accompany the port health officrto *f, 'the ship while it is in the stream. Their rf .duties are to ascertain the requirements -™ 'of each individual immigrant, and to af- ™ ! ford all necessary information as regards {* ; accommodation, employment, tranship- Dl inent, etc. Each immigrant is seen when , ! passing towards tho doctor for examin- JjJ • ntion, and is handed an official letter x leontainlng information as to where tick- '? ; ets will bo arranged for, and tho place m land time of departure of connecting " itrains or boats, if any. Arrangements ™ ■ are made for safety and transhipment '.' jcf luggage. Tho assisted immigrant is .• also requested to see the immigration officer on board if any further infornia- j, tion or advice is required' beyond what • lis contained in the. official letter. If employment and accomodation are desir- w «'d this is nrramred for, and in this re- , )( ■ speot no difficulty has yet been experi- ' i( . ' pneed by thi Departmental officers. As a 'matter of fact it is «w of the special «. I functions' of the Department to see that a , ; immigrants are suitably hous°d and em- „] ' ploved. It is aim the praoticn at this 0I ; stage for the officers to chn"<?e arv Kng- jj ■ ! lisK Treasury notes into New Zealand 0| money, and this is very much ;, ated bv those concerned. The Depart- u rnent also sends but advices, by telegraph t ] if necessary, to friends and Hntives of e , Immigrants about to arrive. _ These nif*- R; cages, often together with private letters w etc., are giwn out, on hoard to those to K , whom they are addTswd." The assistance ,] j rendered by the Denartment applies to j; (■all classes 'of immigrants. n Domestic .Workers' Case. n • "Assisted domestio workers are; chosen f( after application to the High Commis- c : pioner in London, and' are sent to Now n : Zealand nnder tho supervision of one or j; more responsible matrons. The girls are J.| classified nnder two. headings—(a) those j ; with work already arranged or friends to j, po to, and 0') those'without either friends ,] or work. On arrival they are met hy T •tho Girls' Superintendent of the Immigration Department. Arrangements are a then made for sending to their dpntina- C( tion those girls who are going to friends p '• or to definite positions. Those requiring f; 'accommodation are directed to homes or j, I'ftnproved hostels, and the superintendent n then Sfsparately considers the case of each t girl, and arranges to place her as an j] 'apnlicant for Government assistance. r 'Aftw the girl has heeu ulaccd.the De- ■ partment ondjavours to keep in touch 0 with her by corrapondenco. The books t of the Department are onen to record a thq .names of those p?ople in the Domin- 1 ion desirous of securing the services of n Assisted' immigrants, whether domestic servants, farm labourers, miners, artisans, mechanics, etc." ' Influx to New Zealand, The communication concludes:—'Tor the eight months ending November 30, • i!) 20, "5555 immigrants have arrived in .New Zealand, and it is satisfactory to , know that they have all been provided f with accommodation and employment, j The following table shows the number l: that have settled in the various provin- I cial districts: { Auckland I.WV?' J Hawke's Bay .; 200 ' Taranaki 3.15 J Wellington 1,8(50 ' Marlborough' fiß ! Nelson 95 ' Canterbury 73fl f Otego 448 ' Southland 18fi < W,estland 145 f •5,480 i ; location unknown .• 115 Total 5.505 ( Of this number, 3205 were Government l »?sisted.passengers, comprising 574 men, 1054 women, 774 children. Overseas settlement passengers totalled 2390. made nn .of 1124 men, 595 women, and 671 chil- j 'idren. i