D.—9

1925. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION (ANNUAL REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sir, — Department of Immigration, Wellington, 9th July, 1925. 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 1924—25. I have, &c., H. D. Thomson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of Immigration, Wellington.

REPORT. I AM pleased to report that during the past year, owing chiefly to the fact that greatly reduced fares were offered to the public under the new agreement entered into by the Imperial and New Zealand Governments, there has been an increase of 30-7 per cent, in the numbers of Government-assisted immigrants over the totals of either of the two preceding years. All the assisted passengers have been met by officers of the D vpartment and given a kindly and cordial welcome. Their physical fitness and keenness for work made the matter of their absorption a pleasurable and easy task. It is gratifying to be able to state that, although there was the above-mentioned increase in numbers, it had really no effect on the labour-market, for throughout the year the demands made to the Department were always greater than the supply —principally skilled trades, farm and domestic labour. Never, in my opinion, has New Zealand gained such a valuable asset from the migratory movement as during the past twelve months. The nomination system, which is the sheet-anchor of the present policy, has been strictly adhered to, and every endeavour has been made to foster schemes for obtaining child and juvenile migrants. At tbe present time immigrants coming under this heading can obtain a free passage to New Zealand up to the age of seventeen years. During tbe past year 208 public- and secondary-school boys have arrived and have been satisfactorily placed with suitable farmers, and with few exceptions are doing exceedingly well. The following figures indicate the numbers that have been allotted to the different provincial districts : Auckland (including Poverty Bay), 86; Taranaki, 53 ; Wellington, 11; Hawke's Bay, 19 ; Nelson, 7 ; Marlborough, 7 ; Canterbury, 6 ; Otago, 10 ; Southland, 9. The extracts given hereunder are from the monthly reports which the Department receives from these boys Many thanks for your letter of the Ist instant. lam pleased to say that lam still progressing favourably and getting good experience in practically every branch of mixed farming. I am thinking of taking out a £25 bond in New Zealand Perpetual Forests (Limited), (which I pay in about four years and a half at an average of 2s. per week), and I hope you will approve of same. I should be glad to know if you still require monthly reports, or whether they can be extended to quarterly. I herewith state my progress report for June : — I have been working a six-horse team at plough, a four-horse team at skim-ploughing, a four-horse team at drill, and a four-horse team at harrow. On 22nd and 23rd June I attended the travelling farm school, which will, I feel sure, prove very beneficial. Owing to wet weather work has been somewhat slack at times, and, as winter has approached us somewhat forcibly, we have been compelled to begin winter feeding.

I—D. 9.