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Evening Star, Issue 3301, 18 September 1873, Page 2

The disgraceful manner in which the immigrants who arrived in Auckland by the Berar were treated, cannoti be too severely condemned. We have often had occasion to comment, in times past, upon the manner in which those who were landed here were met. On this score, so far as Otago is concerned, or at any rate Dunedin, there can now be no complaint. They are cared for and assisted in finding employment by per&mk who; have had long experience, and are fully equal to the work. But, although there are barracks in Auckland, no one seems to be appointed to meet the immigrants and see that they are cared for on arrival; or if any one does hold such an office, he seems to have been absent at the very moment he should have been at his post. It is to be hoped the account of the affair given by the New Zealand Herald is exaggerated: one cannot avoid wishing it to be altogether untrue ; though this we fear is not likely. Such a story, circulated at Home, would, do more to damage the reputation of the Colony than could be counteracted by the most glowing accounts, published under authority, revised and edited by the Premier. The damage is done, and, the only way to repair it is to institute searching inquiiy as to where the' blame lies. From the care evinced by the Government in Otago, Canterbury, and Wellington, it Seems scarcely likely that they have, overlooked Auckland,, and left immigrants there to be bundled ashore, with less preparation for their wellbeing than would have been made for sheep or pigs. An agent would have beeil expected to see that those animals were properly cared for, and if he neglected his duty, the firm in whose service he was would have placed one more trustworthy in his stead. Such must be the course adopted by the Government;.but that is not enough. Not only will it be needful to supersede an inefficient servant, but to spread far and wide the information that no such- disgraceful rccepfcfpn aWaita immigrants in the future.