MRS. HOWARD IN DEFENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 175, 6 August 1874, Page 2

MRS. HOWARD IN DEFENCE.

The following extract from a letter^ dated May 15, 1874, sent by Mrs Howard to a friend in Dunedin, has been published in the Daily Times. Dr. Featherston has asserted to me that a telegram was sent him from Otago to prohibit any more girls going from me, as some of the Carnatic girls went on the streets. In the first place, I did not send all the girls who went in the Carnatic, and I can scarcely believe such a thing of my girls, Secondly, if such an end came to these poor things, I will state some facts which might help to account for it. They came from country districts in Ireland, where tbey had been under the care of parents, and friends, and priests, and nuns. I travelled with them and took care of tbem, according to my promise to their friends, the whole five hundred miles, superintending every change of conveyance, subjecting myaelf to fatigue and privations of all sorts, so as to protect these inexperienced travellers from all kinds of dangers that cannot be here enumerated. I kept all the single women in one compartment of the railway, the single men in others, and the families in others. When we reached Paddington, after travelling incessantly for more than twenty-four hours, tired to death, I did not then desert my cbarge — eighty souls in aU — but put them iv vans provided for me by the railway to take them to the docks, "and proceeded myself in a cab, that I might be there first to get tbeir luggage passed through the Customs &c, all of which is a man's work — but I got none to help mo. To my extreme vexation the ship | was not ready to receive them, and the | poor things, weary in body, and hungry and thirsty, had to go to lodgiugs provided by the Agent-General for those people and others situated io the same way. And where think you this "home" is situated? In the very centre of Whitchapel! At a large public house and boarding-house kept by Mr Upson, and called the Britannia. With regard to the internal arrangements no fault could be found. The bedrooms were of the cleanest and most comfortable kind, and good food, but no privacy whatever. No sooner had I counted tbe gin's and got them into some order, and turned round to see after others, than a number of young fellows were into tbe place, and persuaded them they would be locked in all night if they did not come off directly. After inspecting the rooms, and returning down stairs to see them at dinner, I found the flock I had been so careful about gone out at once into the thick of the Whitechapel mob, gay shops of cheap articles, bad characters of all descriptions waiting to pounce upon them from all sides. I had no legal power to keep them in, and the landlord said it was beyond his. My real duty to the Government had ended when I had selected the emigrants in Ireland and signed my name, after inspecting themselves and their characters and clothes; but I had imposed this extra duty aud expense upon myself, hoping to ward off these dreadful evils from my young girls, and not leave them until I had put them on board the ship, and delivered them up to matrons provided for them. My heart sickened as I coo template! the evils that might arise from this state of things, evils, which Mr Edwards, the present Archdeacon of St. Paul's, Dunedin, Fa'her Moreau, the late Parish Priest, and myself had so often lamented in old times, but I was powerless. Mr Upson promised to go out, aod with his sons and others, to hunt them up, and after staying about three hours in tbe house, and having only the barren comfort of seeing a few return to go to their beds, I had to leave; my duties on board the ship next day compelled, me to get home and get

somo rest after nil ray exertions and fatigue. Next day, I w..s early at the ship, and raost of the band I had brought from Ireland bai arrived; but I beard many grievous tales from one and another of how they had been coaxed away, some robbed of the little money they had got, all were penitent and sorry, but they all with one voice proclaimed "Ah, ma'am it was no place to take young girls to, fresh from the country," and I could but feel tbe force of myself. The telegram the A-G. speaks of com firms my worst fears, but I repudiate all blame. It should be put on those whose duty it was when the scheme of Free Emigration was first set on foot to make their first step a provision for the reception of the female portion at all events, of the emigrants, so that tbey should be protected from «he suares that beset them on arriving in a large city like London, where they become a most welcome prey to tho worst characters. On calling on Dr. Featherston after the sailing of tbe ship, I told him of my horror of the place and manner in which these girls were, provided for; and he agreed with me it was not a good place, aod told me he was trying to make Borne other arrangements. I afterwards brought about 89 for the Woodlark, but was fortunate in being able to get them aboard (he same night. I then petitioned the Ageat-General to give me a ship to Queenstown, instead of dragging these poor people all the way to London. He consented, and sent the Asia, with berths unfilled for 160, which I completed, [rt will be observed that ne reference is made by Mrs Howard to that invaluable institution—the Cork Reformatory — from whence she derived her supply of emigrants] I have since sent 260 by the Caroline, 200 by the Carrick Castle, many excellent small parties by the Sussex, Peter Danny, Hiudostan, and other ships, nnd I have now over 200 people all prepared, only waiting for passages. My first 1000 emigrants is more than completed. The tide of emigration that I have induced to set in from various parts of England and Ireland will now flow freely and will not be stayed. lam popular with the people, and have shown them that that New Zealand is the best Colouy for really industrious emigrants to go to. I may be unjustly deprived of my commission in the future, but nothing can deprive me of the satisfaction I have experienced in benefitting tbe worthy poor, and helping on the prosperity of Otago by sending her good lahorer3 male and female, in every clas3 of industry. I truly believe that when (he people of Otago are made acquainted with the facts, and how I havo worked in their interests for the past six months, they will do me justice.