D.—l

22

Number Engaged. —All the single women who were for engagement (numbering only sixteen) found situations immediately the barracks were open to the public. All the single men who would take situations were also engaged at once. Out of the twenty-one families who arrived, eight only remained in barracks for employment at the end of the first day ;of these eight, six have since been engaged; of the remaining two, one is unable to take a situation owing to an accident; the other has a large family, but will, I have no doubt, soon meet with employment. Two families remaining in barracks —one from the ship " St. Leonards," a married man with five children, and one a Dane, from the ship " Friedeberg," with three children—found situations on the day on which the immigrants per " Lady Jocelyn " were engaged. Character of the Immigrants. —Under this head I am unable to report so favourably as I could wish; the character of some of the immigrants was not so good as that of previous shipments. What Wages were given. Married Couples —■ Farm Servants, £50 to £70 per annum and found. Wheelwrights, 12s. per day. Single Men — Farm Servants, £35 to £45 per annum and found. General Labourers, £25 to 30 per annum and found. Tailors, £52 per annum and found. Boys, £12 to £15 per annum and found. Carpenters, 9s. per day. Single Women — General Servants, £25 to £30. Housemaids, £20 to £25. Nurses, £20 to £25. Present Demand of Labour Market. —The number of single men (farm servants) and single women by this ship was quite insufficient to supply the demand, which is still very great, especially for domestic servants. Several more married couples, if suitable for situations as farm servants, could also have been placed in good situations. The demand for carpenters and others connected with the building trade is still very brisk, and likely to continue so ; wheelwrights meet with immediate employment at good wages; good practical bootmakers are also in request. General Eemarks.- —A large number of immigrants by this ship were nominated in the Province, consequently the number for engagement was very small. Many employers, several of whom had come long distances from the country, had to leave the barracks without being able to obtain servants. J. E. Mabcu, Immigration Office, Christchurch, 22nd November, 1872. Immigration Officer.

Enclosure 2 in No. 25. Ship " Lady Jocelyn." [Extract from Surgeon-Superintendent's Diary i] The voyage from London to Canterbury, in a sanitary point of view, has been a success. No illness that might in any way be attributed to overcrowding, defective ventilation, or improper diet, has occurred. The passage through the tropics was remarkable for the absence of heavy rains or great heat; the highest reading of the thermometer in the holds being 80° Fahrenheit on 2nd September, in Lat 10° 42' N., Long. W. 25° 40'; the second highest reading being on the previous day, viz. 82°. The behaviour of the single men might have been better, and the constable for their compartment has had no sinecure appointment amongst them. The bottom boards of the berths have not been made to unship, and consequently some difficulty has at times occurred in cleaning the decks beneath them. We have had four births during the voyage and one death, that of James Wilson, 9 months, on 30th October, Lat. South 46° 52', Long. East 139° 34. Mr. Dunkley, a passenger on the staff of the Bishop of Dunedin, undertook the duties of schoolmaster. He reports the work done as follows: —Four hours' daily attendance for week days, and two hours on Sundays. (28 children attended.) A weekly Bible class for the single young men, conducted by Mr. Withey. A class for reading, writing, and arithmetic, conducted by the Bishop of Dunedin, the Eev. Mr. Venny, and the Eev. J. Smith. We are much indebted to the Bishop and the clergy for their Sunday services, and the kindness and interest they took in the Government passengers. In the medical compartment, I beg to recommend that a liberal supply of aperient pills should be gent on board ship. They are much needed at the commencement of a long voyage, and are more easily taken than nauseous powders or draughts. A supply of bromide of potassium and hydrate of chloral would be desirable additions to the medicine chest. For heating food for infants and lying-in women, spirit of good quality should be sent; what I had in the dispensary was useless for that purpose. A better class of water tins should be supplied to emigrants, as much inconvenience and annoyance was caused by the cans leaking, after being a short time in use. The matron has conducted her department most ably, and the cleanliness observed in that part of the ship is highly creditable, both to her and the sub-matron, both of whom have been very kind and attentive to those committed to their care and supervision.