GERMAN IMMIGRATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 241, 12 September 1872, Page 6

GERMAN IMMIGRATION.

The first direct shipment of immigrants from Germany arrived at Lyttelfcon by the Frideberg on Saturday. Of the immigrants the LytttsltoH Times says that on arrival they were in the very best of spirits, and spoke hopefully of the future in their adopted home. Unfortunately, not one of them could speak English, and they expressed a considerable amount of anxiety in consequence ; but they were in a great measure consoled when told that there were several of their countrymen in the Province, and that they would soon be able to pick up the language in a country where English was universally spoken. Among the immigrants there are some who have won decorations for services in the field. One has been in the Holstein, Austrian, and Franco- German wars, and another in the twolatter campaigns. Amongst the married couples, cne immigrant was pointed out as having walked from the Russian frontier to Hamburg (a distance of about 800 miles) with his wife and five or six children, sleeping at farm houses, and oftentimes j in the open air, on their way to j in the ship, It was a curious fact, that while those on one side of the vessel (Polish-Germins) j complained of the insufficiency of food ; those on the opposite side (Norwegians and Danes) expressed entire satisfaction. The former were asked how they could account for this, and their reply was that the latter were richer than themselves, and besides bringing more comforts with them, had money enough to enable them to procure what they wanted. The same thing, however, was noticeable in the single men's compartment ; here the Danes and Norwegians were perfectly satisfied with their treatment on board, while a few of the Germans and Polish-Germans complained of the quality of the water and the insufficiency of the dietary scale. Speaking of the immigrants as a whole, they are undoubtedly a very good selection, and if they follow the excellent advice given to them by the two interpreters, they will have no reason to regret coming to New .Zealand. Their ignorance of English will doubtless be a considerable disadvantage to them for some time, but they will not be long in acquiring a sufficient knowledge of the language to enable them to get along comfortably with those by whom they may be employed. It is probable that many of them will find employment from their own countrymen.