THE IMMIGRATION BARRACKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4483, 2 August 1875, Page 3

THE IMMIGRATION BARRACKS.

Von the information chiefly of our numerous constituents in the country districts, who may wish to know what accommodation we in Wellington afford to our immigrants during the interval of their leaving the ship and finding. employment, we offer the following as the result of a visit we paid yesterday to the Immigration Barracks. At the same time the account may be found not altogether unacceptable to our town readers. In the first place, it may be premised that the buildings now used for 'the immigrants landing at this port were not originally built for this purpose; but were erected some quartSr of a century since by the Home Government, for the accommodation of the Imperial troops. In this occupation they remained until the enunciation by the then Premier, Mr. Weld, of his famous-self-reliant policy. The premises then passed into the possession of the Defence Commissioners, and were used for housing the colonial troops. Happily the need for these has passed away, and they now form a temporary but welcome home for our immigrants on theicfirst arrival among us. The site of_ these buildings is one of the best in Wellington, and is named after the famous Captain Cook, who (so says a Maori tradition) camped here on one of his visits. Mount Cook is a flattish. hill, and the barracks situated on it are reached by a good road, fenced on both sides, and having an easy gradient. This road biings us to the entrance gates. The premises are surrounded by a wooden enclosure about 9Jft. high, and are arranged round the sides of a long rectangular court, having in the centre a grass plat. On entering, the first building on our right is that which accommodates the depot master and the matron. Adjoining this is a building consisting of one long room, with but one door,which opens on a courtyard connecting it with the residence of the matron. The building accommodates the single women, and will hold about fifty inmates comfortably, although on one occasion as many as seventy found shelter in it. Leaving this, we come next to the wash-house, which is set apart for the sole use of the single women. We next come to tke building in which the rations are cooked for the whole of the single persons in the depot, - a man cook being employed specially for thiswork. The two remaining houses on this side are occupied by the single men, and will accommodate about 120 inmates. Starting again from the entrance gate, we have on the lefthand side the store, and the two bouses in which sixty-four married couples may be housed. We then have two buildings,- used respectively as a wash-house and a kitchen; The next building is the hospital, the only structure out of them all which has been erected specially for its present purpose. It contains four rooms, each about 12 x 10, fitted with a fireplace, and lined and ceiled with red pine. The gas is laid on throughout the whole of the premises, and there is also a plentiful supply distributed over the buildings. It may be added that the houses set apart for the married couples are divided off into bunks about 9ft. by Bft, with double and single bunks in each, and fitted with doors. The walls of the buildings consist of an interior wall of brick, with an exterior shield of Australian green gum. The floors are also formed of planks from the same wood. Considering the time at which the buildings were erected, it is very evident that theymust have cost the Imperial Government a pretty round sum. The rooms occupied by the single immigrants are furnished with military iron bedsteads, and each immigrant is expected to find his own bedding, except, o£ course, in some few cases. The drainage Ist easily carried by means of brick tables and the natural slope of the ground. The interiors o£ the buildings are whitewashed—an arrangement possessing no doubt many sanitary advantages, but which does not have such a good appearance as where paint is used. The inmates are allowed tea, sugar, and milk, and are daily dieted per individual with one poundof bread, meat, and potatoes. The buildings, as we observed before, occupy a position high and dry, and are provided with an abundance of water and gaslight, so there is no reason to doubt that the inmates find here an enjoyable home after the confinement of life on board • ship. -