D.— y.

Session LI 1912. NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION (ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Pretented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of I/is Excellency

Sib, — Department of Immigration, Wellington, 18th July, 1912. Herewith I have the honour to submit the annual report upon the immigration which has taken place into New Zealand from the United Kingdom during the year 1911-12. I have, &c, John Stkauchon, The Hon. the Minister of Immigration. Under-Secretary.

EEPOET. The total number of arrivals from the United Kingdom during the year ended 31st March, 1912, was 12,250, consisting of 9,909 adults and 2,341 children. The majority of these persons made their own arrangements and paid the ordinary fare. The number who were granted passages to the Dominion at reduced rates and who embarked from the United Kingdom during the year was 3,300, consisting of 520 fanners and farm hands (representing 1,094 souU), 397 housewives rejoining their husbands (representing 1,186 souls), and 1,020 domestic workers. The schedule attached shows the various steamers and the number of assisted immigrants brought by each. The declared capital possessed by those assisted amounted to £24,088. Nominations were accepted from persons in the Dominion for the passages of 1,925 persons, being 1,104 adults and 821 children, and the amount deposited towards the cost of these, passages was £14,911. Each vessel upon arrival was visited by the Immigration Officer, who reports as follows: — " The arrivals during the past year were, in my opinion, of a good class, with the result that a fine and sturdy type of settler has been added to the population. I am convinced that the London office has exercised much discretion in its selection of persons. The scarcity of domestic workers still continues, and I have no hesitation in stating that every young woman who arrives in this capacity may have at least a dozen openings waiting for her. Various parties of domestics selected by the British Women's Emigration Society have been sent out during the year for the Hawke's Bay and Canterbury Associations. A large number of farmers and farm hands also have arrived in the Dominion, paying the ordinary fares, during the months from February to August." In regard to domestic workers, it was considered that when the reduced passage-rate was fixed at £2 165., and the opportunity was given to residents of the Dominion to make arrangements for introducing young women of this class, more persons would have availed themselves of the advantage. So far, however, the Department is not aware of any doing so outside of the Canterbury and Hawke's Bay associations. The Government decided last month that passages at reduced rates are to be granted to fifty girls who are not under seventeen years of age and who have been trained for domestic service in clergy orphanages and Masonic homes in the United Kingdom. If the experiment is successful with the first contingent the scheme can be extended. Arrangements will be made to place the girls under proper supervision upon their arrival, so that they will be provided with friendly advisers, who would exercise a watchful care over them after they have been placed in situations. Tne High Commissioner has been instructed to take the necessary steps to give the experiment a trial, and it is believed that, if proper care is taken, there is no reason but that it will have the result anticipated, and be the means of materially helping to supply the demand that now exists for domestic workers.