A STRANGER AT THE GATES.

Motueka Star, Volume II, Issue 95, 11 July 1902, Page 4

A STRANGER AT THE GATES.

_ - itJSyfehe Geipnaivmml! steamer €Mdetv- t there fiftaMfefigyn ' •other! day another family partV/classed *”*" * ift ) CommonJt| i|»g eitizetas of Victoria. They were of Greek, hieing brothers-ih- * < ‘ taw,' their 'Viye«<r ahd jFktail&s^ { ' *1 adults; totalled males : *being- a fine r! ? I’ body,; /of Isturdy looking workeW, and ■ femalesrsoimcftvhkt*iihderkiaied/• bitt ro- ; ' ■'’ bust and heftltby 1 ; ks~fr,y the childiiuy ' t -.eii’ on deck atid gaikdy 'dtei«w J,, < r, >‘> ■ j eS ! attracted geneWil attention. 1 The Imhngration Officer 1 questioned: the ) ! their means, ahd by .wey rif ‘ reply the leader poured out tnr • the table £7 8% hr**gH, r ,» passage ‘niohey, v 'ift-iragihj> per head, had been paid by his company.- Then as if to clinch thfe matter on. th’e.“kdmission” question, the lehder produced a toed it of, .£40,000; on a .- uenfos Ay re* 4»a»k, collectable through the Greek on demand*,. &übseque it ewquir es elicited from: the! lead-- r , 1 , ' l ' ■ f the Greeks that tbeiriutentiou was to enter upoa agricultural pursuits •geuej’allv particularly as regarded the «>f wheat, maize,, and fruit. S'mild their venture pive promise of. » wat : sb«ctoi y leturns on the outlay, they would, report to other relatives, and the whole of their capital vyould l»e transferred to Victoria. That there should be even a temporary detention ote his p-irty landing he could, not understand, seeing that he had ample means both in his,belt and hank. On attempting to cross the border ii t 6 New South Wales the immigrants hared the fate of the compatriots a few weeks previous. When the exwess reached Alburv last night (said the Melbourne Argus of the 4th inst.) the Customs officers refused to let the foreigners land in New South Wales, and the whole 'hatch,' numbering 38, were taken back by the train which brought them over. No accommodation could be secured for them for the night, so they camped the best wav they could in the vicinity ofWodonga railway Station. Rain fell during the night, but the pla tforrn afforded shelter. The difficulty reached an acute stage this morning when one ot the women became unwell. A room at the station was placed at her disposal and a few -hours later she gave birth to a daughter. Ihe lt little stranger,” at anv rate, will he saved the experience of her parents, for, being an Australian Horn, she may roam throughout the Commonwealth without let or hindrance. The immmigrants aie well provided with money, and possessmanv of the luxuries, to s«y nothing of the necessaries of life. They are also equipped with passports endorsed by the Consul for Great Britain at Buenos Avres. They are unable to speak English. The Greek Consul at Sydney has been communicated with, and the situation explained to him; but as the day is a public holiday, no reply is expected until to-morrow. Meantime the new arrivals are welcome to whatever shelter they are able to find on public verandahs and elsewhere.