ELLIS ISLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 January 1926, Page 1

ELLIS ISLAND.

H USBAND AND WIFE SEPARATED. LONDON, November 28. In a letter to tho Editor of the “Daily Mail,” Mr Thomas Smailes, of 2.j, Market-place Huddersfield, states that a few weeks ago Mr W. Millington. of Homlcy, near Huddersfield, obtained a passport for himself and his wife to visit the United States. It was vised by tho American Vice-Con-sul. They were going to see relatives anil intended remaining in tho States for a few weeks only and hooked return passages before leaving England. They wore medically examined and vaccinated before leaving Liverpool and during the journey were medically examined on about three occasions. Each time they wore stripped, and each was publicly examined with others of the same sex.

At New York they were interviewed bv the. American Consul and questioned as to their visit. They wore kept on board the ship for the. first night and next morning wore drafted to Ellis Island with about 20 others. Continuing, Mr Smailes says: When they got to Ellis Island the wife and her husband were separated and put into different rooms; the rooms bad a temperature of OOdeg. all day long. They were allowed one hour’s fresh air each day.

In the room in which the husband had to live from Friday to Monday there were one hundred other men of various nationalities. It was not until the Monday that lie found anyone who could speak English, and he was aScotsman. He was allowed to talk to his wife for two hours each day. GUARANTEE BOND DEMANDED. During the week-end attempts were made to get into touch with relatives. The Ellis Island authorities decided that they would require the relatives of the man and wife in the United States to enter into a guarantee bond for 1,000 dollars—<soo dollars for each of them —that they would leave the country within a. certain time, and unless this bond was signed or a personal deposit of a similar amount made they were to he deported. They had never been told a word as to these requirements before leaving England.

Tho bond or tho deposit, was not forthcoming, and appeals proved useless. They wore, returned to the ship where they wore locked up at opposite ends. Their relatives visited them and conversation took place through prison liars.

LOCKED UR WITH CRIMINALS. The husband’s companions were three criminals who had just boon liberated front prison and he had to spend a night in tho company of these three individuals. As he had a fair sum of money on him at the time, he never slept a wink. On the next day. as soon as tho boat sailed, they were liberated and had no further trouble during the voyage homo.

The matter has boon brought to the notice of Mr Philip Snowden. M.P., for the district.