THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1908. THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S REPORT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9143, 20 July 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1908. THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S REPORT.

In a recent article we referred, in view of the clecraasing birth rate, to the necessity for the Government to take steps to increase the number of immigrants to our shores, and we emphasised that, while reasonable care is exercised in selecting them, immigrants should be welcomed and not looked upon as undesirnble by those who are engaged in de/eloping the industries of this country. The annual report of the Department of Immigration is to hand, and is not of a satisfactory character in that it shows that the Department has not accomplished an amount of work that would have been desirable in the be3t interests of the Dominion. The report and statistics do not bear out the complaints which fiom time to time have been voiced during- the I past year that the New Zealand Government are flooding the Dominion with immigrants; on the contrary, the return shows that only 2,651 J adults, equalling 3,104 souls, have reached our shores by way of reduced

rate passages during the past year, as against 3,141J statute adults, equalling 3,712 souls, for the same period last year, the smaller number arising chiefly from the strict supervision exercised by the High Commissioner over all the applicants for assisted passages made to him in London. The 3,104 souls who arrived were landed at intervals by thirtyeight steamers, the average number of steamers being three a month. The new settlers brought with them in cash declared capital to the amount of £70,056, and many in addition possessed a small annual income, amounting in the total to £1,052. The New Zealand Government contributed passage-money to the amount of £10,423. The total arrivals of 2,651 A adults, equalling 3,10-1 souls, are classified as follows: —Farmers: Single men and heads of families, 807 —-1,899 souls; domestics of all classes, 395 adults; artisans, etc., single men and heads of families, 307 —810 souls. In last year's report brief mention was made of the fact that the New Zealand Government considered it helpful to the Dominion that, persons who had successfully established themselves as settlers should be allowed to nominate relatives upon payment in New Zealand of the sum of £lO for each relative so nominated, the relatives stipulating to receive all such upon arrival, and provide them with en.ployment. It is further stipulate! that the persons so nominated must be fully approved by the High Commissioner before embarkation. The number of adults so nominated last year amounted to statute aciults; this year the number brought out by relatives amounted to 480 statute adults, the amount received in New Zealand for passage-money being £11,059 lis. Very atisfactory reports reach the Department from time to time as to the success of this system of nominations. It results in—(a) reuniting families; (b) making the settlers themselves more satisfied when their relatives are near them; and (c) increases the interest in New Zealand, and creates a closer bond with the older land from which they come. The Immigration officers who have met the various steamers upon arrival report that the high class and character of the immigrants mentioned last year have been wall maintained this year, and state that New Zealand is to be congratulated upon such valuable additions to her population. The same tribute is paid by the officers of the Labour Department, who render every possible help to immigrants upon arrival, and, when they are not met by relatives or friends, invariably assist them to obtain employment.

The Government's system is, undoubtedly a good one, but it is not administered with sufficient vigour. The great need of the Dominion is population, and, if instead of 3,104 souls having reached our shores during the past year, as immigrants, the number had been more like twenty thousand, there would have been some reason to express satisfaction with the work of the Department.