THE CAMBRIDGE IMMIGRANTS.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 583, 15 February 1876, Page 3

THE CAMBRIDGE IMMIGRANTS.

SlE— *Tour special reporter, 'in his visit to the inmigrant cottages at this place has stated facts I admit, but%as simply giro's- an eafarte state* ment of the cue from the immigrants themselves, or rather, -I should say, from that portion of tbeni which were jet to, b« found in the cottages, and by far the lerfst industrious and deferring. There hare been some sixty or seventy families seat up to Cambridge, and of these, all \>\xb a veTy few, have found regular employment at good waged. It is these few vrho now remain in the .cottage, to represent the entire body, and this, I maintain, they do not fairly do. The task might be a difficult one, but, as the Waikato Times has taken up the matter of enquiry, I think it should go full} into it, and, one side of the question havincbeen heard, the other side rboulil be giren also. Thert *re many immigrants at 'work in the neighbourhood of this township whom your spec'al reporter might, without great difficulty visit, and from whom you mi h ht gather a somewhat different version of this matter. In the town itself are many of the older residents, wbo could, ptrhaps, tell him some things of the immigrants now in the oottages, that it was not likely he could glean from themselves. I fesl quite aure that you oan hare no personal feeling in the matter one way or th'eother^beyond that of exposing th abuse, ff any such exists, and (hat you will gladly take the opportunity of citing the whole truth, if possible. There is no doubt thatEome of the immigrants hare Bad a bard t>me of it during the past winter, but others of " them are mor* to blame for this than anyone else. Nor hare the privation* of their families been unnoticed oruncared for by the resident settlers. Much sympathy has bach felt for them and actirity shown both by storekeepers and others , cren though no one represented the state of affairs to tho immigration authbrities in Auckland which was perhaps an oversight. As one of many who wish this matter fairly cleared up, I would suggest a second ritit of j bur special reporter, seeking this time suoh evidence* as will boar on the othor side of the case, when lie will fend that much sympathy which hit report his evoked for the immigrants hring in the Government o<Jtt»gc» is loss deserved than it would bo sesn to be the case, if they had told the whofe truth, and wb'ich others will tell for them.- Tarn, &c, Cambridge, Feb 14th, 1876.