NEW ARRIVALS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1778, 8 June 1906, Page 2

NEW ARRIVALS.

LABORERS FROM ENGLAND.

DOHESTIO SERVANTS.

“ What indQoed you to come out to New Zealand?" The direct steamer Turakina has just arrived at Wellington from London, bringing another large party of laborers from the old to the new world. Three young men were standing in front of the General Post Office, and were so palpably " newohummy ” .in. appearanoe that the pressman picked them at once as arrivals by the Turakina. It was the pressman who put the question above quoted. The trio were good looking young men, and bad been ohums since boyhood. They bad been used to all kinds of laboring work, and were familiar with the pick and shovel. The reply to the question concerning their coming out was that in their oo'unj,cy papers they had seen an advertisement calling for navvies in New Zealand. They sent in their applicatign to the High Commissioner, and he bad dropped particulars through the post office. Work wbs very slack in the Old Country, and as they were young and had saved a little money they thought it wbs a good opportunity fcJF-ty improve their condition. v Did they exprot to make a fortune? Oh, no; they ody wanted work—any kind of a j :b, so long as it was work. Gopld be (the pressman) put them on to a job? They were booked through to Auckland, but they would etop in'Wellington if a job offered. The newoomers had two complaints. First, they had been told in London that there was a labor bureau out here, What was the matter with it? Why was it olosed ? Didn't the bnrean know that the Turakina was due to day ?■ Secondly, wasn't the Post Office busy enough to open every day in the week in New Zealand? Its doors were olosed also, muoh to the astonishment of the Englishmen. It was explained that Wei* lington was keeping close holiday in honor of the Prince of Walts’ Birthday. The Turakina brought over 200 passengers in the third class, and they were mostly mm. The greater proportion of these men were youDg, the ages ranging for the most part between 20 and 30 yea-s. The unskilled worker was in force, but there was a sprinkling o skilled moD, some of whom had paid the whole of thoir passage money. There was one family of 13 on boatd, comprising fa',her, mother, sons, and daughters. They were booked for Napier. A young man bad come out to a brother, who had been set* tlodffir many years.

“ The troublo will be,” be said, " in re< cognising enoh other. I was a kiddy eo high (be indicated 2fl 6in) when he left home, but ho will get a jab for me.” There were a number'of girls from Ireland and Great Britain, and whilst they are hoping to get work as domestic servants they have oomo out to friends in different parts of the colony. A very small portion of the new booked for Wellington. Most of the navvies go on to Auokland. Soma of these were Bsked if they bad any binding agreement from the High Commissioner’s office with regard to getting woik. ” Why, no,” was tbe reply, “ we wpre told that there was work out here, and we came to ask for it, and look for if qu fho spot.”

11 And if you don’t find it ?” “ Well, that’s oor look out.”