The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1874.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1198, 31 July 1874, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, JULY 31, 1874.

The voluminous papers relative to immigration to Now Zealand, laid on the table of the House of Representatives —besides giving in detail the various arrangements for the shipping and reception of immigrants, which, if faithfully carried out, would leave little room for complaint —disclose many unpleasant facts, pointing either to reckless carelessness or flagrant incompetency on the part of the Agent-General. Turning over the pages of lleport D 2, which gives detailed, particulars referring to no leas than fifty-throe immigrant ships, paragraph after paragraph presents itself, fairly bristling with evidences of mismanagement or neglect. It is true that in many instances the immigrants express themselves well satisfied with their treatment, and the commissioners report on the admirable fitting up of the ships, but these are but exceptions proving the rule. The most frequent complaints are those made against the quality of food supplied, rather than as to quantity, especially in the dietary of infants and sick persons. In very many instances also the fittings of the vessels allowed of neither privacy, comfort, or convenience to the luckless passengers. Of this tho ship I'unjaub was a notorious instance. Jler Danish passengers were first knocked about in a cattle steamer between Copenhagen and London, getting severe weather, the boiler bursting and leaving them helpless at sea, until towed back by a schooner to the port of departure. Tho unfortunates meanwhile being, to quote the report, " literally packed fore and aft, pigsties and sheep pons taking up all the space in the upper deck, which should have been left clear for exercise." Thus latent disease "sprang out and raged with

its wonted fury," and on board the Punjaub, to which they wero at last transhipped, matters wero little bettor. 3-10 passengers in a vessel of 833 tons, without tables to eat off, undor docks leaking over every compartment, in badly arranged berths, and short of rations and medical comforts ! In reports as to other vessels, notably, the llodvig, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Wild Buck, and tho Mongol, similar dnfects are noted, and the only wonder is that disease had not decimated the number of luckless passengers ere sighting laud. It is a positive relief to the reader to turn over tho pages aud observe the contrast of affairs as recorded on board other vessels. Worst of all has been the little care evinced in the selection of immigrants. The lot by the Asia being the most shocking examples. The Immigration Officer at Dunedin complains of some of the girls sent back to him after engagement, as being entirely useless for housework. Some of the men were pensioners from the army, really useless as laborers, while another little batch are thus described by Mr Colin Allan : —" There were eight young men who called themselves " Whitechapel Boys," who gave us a great deal of trouble and annoyance on account of their rowdy habits. I have, however, ascertained that five of the number, viz., 11—, S—, T—, 11—, aud M—, were professed thieves ; that S — was a ticket-of-leave man, whose term has not expired; and that they were from the New Cut, Eankside, London. lam afraid they will swell the ranks of criminals iu the colony ere long. I have, however, managed to clear them out of tho depot." As to the selection of females, the Agent-General has already received a smart rap over the knuckles from the Premier, and which be richly deserves. In a letter of the 7th May last, the Hon. Julius Vogel thus writes to the Agent - General: —" I must impress upon you that the character of the class of immigrants now arriving in the Colony is a source of very grave anxiety to the Government, and is creating great uneasiness in the Colony. I have already been officially informed that the shipment by the Asia to Dunedin includes a number of girls out of the Cork workhouse, some of whom are notoriously loose, I am cabling you on the subject, drawing your t attention to the report of the proceedings of the Cork Board of Guardians, a copy or ■precis of which the Superintendent of Otago has telegraphed to me at my request, and of which I enclose copy. It is evident, by that report, that these women were sent because the Board despaired of their adapting themselves to a useful life at home. It is difficult to believe tbat you could sanction such emigration ; whilst, on the other hand, it is as difficult to believe that you could be unaware of the published proceeding of your agent, tho woman Howard, whom, by the-by, you seem to have employed after informing me that you would not do so, vide your letter No 551, of 29th of November, 1872. At another Board meeting, a copy of report of which I also enclose, legal proceedings were actually threatened in your name to enforce completion of the miserable bargain entered into by Howard. I endeavour to think that you knew nothing about the matter; but, if so, bow singular must be the organization of your department, that with a proceeding so canvassed in the place, with a ship calling off the town, and, it is to be presumed, some of your officers in attendance to see the emigrants off, you should have to be informed from New Zealand of what occurred under the immediate notice of youi officers. I find it impossible to adequately characterize the indignation such a shipment produces, or the alarm which is felt at the intention which is apparent of sending further similar shipments." Old Otago residents will form their own opinions of " the woman Howard," as a fit and proper immigrant agent. As to the character of the human freight sent out under her selection, the telegrams of the Superintendent of Otago bear painful evidence. In one he applies for authority to erect a high wall at the Immigration depot, where " both men and women climb over the present fence, aud are a nuisance to the neighborhood." In another, following hard upon the first, he urges that " the work is absolutely necessary, if we are to have more of the class of females now in depot I can get no ship to take them home." As, out of evil cometh good, so may New Zealand settlers hope that the recent exposures will lead to a verythorough reform in immigration arrangements, even if entailing the throwing overboard from the deck of some immigrant vessel, as a very Jonah, the present A gent-General.