A SAD CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7936, 9 January 1906, Page 5

A SAD CASE.

NEED FOK ENQUIRY. The Post's Christchurch correspondent telegraphed yesle»'day:— A strange immigration Ciso has come to light here. Ou December 11, 1905, a youth named Alfred Shenton, 23 yeara of age, arrived here by the Morayshire from England iu an advanced state o£ consumption. He had little money, and would have died in the streets had he not been taken into Nurse Maude's camp. The Press in now informed by a gentleman who has been interesting himself in the unfortunate lad's case that he was an assisted passenger to New Zaaland; that, in fact, he was enabled to take advantage of the facilities afforded under New Zealand's immigration policy. The enquiries go to show that the lad's parents, who arb iu poor circumstances, made application through the, Uiah Commissioner's office in Loudon to have their son sent to Now Zealand at the cheap steamer rates provided for immigrants. The ionn which ictending immigrants are required ro fill iu and certify to was duly forwarded to Shenton, but when he came to' state "condition of health" he felt doubtful about what course he should pursue, and requested the medical officer at the Manchester Hospital for Consumption, in which he had been a patient for some time, to furnish him with a statement. In reply Dr E. E. Hughes wrote on the official letter-paper of the Manchester Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of Throat and Chest: "This is to certify that in my opiuiou Alfred Shenton, of 33, Doddiugton Street, Salford, is at present a suitable person to undergo voyage to New Zealand." On the production of this certificate presumably iho lad was granted an assisted passage and a few short weeks afterwards lauded in New Zealand in a dying condition and with little money. How he was allowed to pass the Health authorities at Auckland, where he disembarked has not yet been explained. He is still an inmate of Nuree Maucie's Consumptive Camp, Brighton, and is making little recovery. Having no claim on charity, his maintenance has been personally guaranteed by Mr Kennedy, in order that he may receive proper treatment, and it is not yet known whether the shipping company concerned intends defraying his expenses. The Piess deal 3 editorially with the case. It says: "This is sure'y a matter which the Government ought to enquire into without delay. We do not know what system is pursued at the High Commissioner's office iu deciding ou the applications of those who desire to take advantage of the reduced rates, but obviously one of the essentials which ought to be carefully looked after is that the applicants are in sound health."