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Enclosure in No. 41. Eepoet by the Immigration Commissioners on the Ship " Palmerston." Sib,— Port Chalmers, Dunedin, 23rd December, 1872. We have the honor to report that, acting under orders of the Board of Health, we this day admitted the ship " Palmerston " to pratique. From the report furnished by the surgeon-superintendent, Dr. Bordt, we learn that scarlatina and typhoid fever broke out on the passage, principally among the children, but none of the cases proved fatal. There were thirteen deaths from other diseases, chiefly pneumonia and dysentery, three of the number being adults, and the remainder infants. We minutely examined the ship, and found her scrupulously clean, and as to accommodation, both below and on deck, admirably adapted for conveying emigrants. She has two hospitals aft—one for men and one for women —both having a door opening to a bathroom adjoining. The ventilation of the hospitals is by a large skylight and two portholes, one on each side of the ship. The single women's compartment is ventilated by a skylight with open sides, a wooden ventilator somewhat like a chimney and fireplace for conveying off the foul air, and a hatchway by which access is had to the compartment. The married people's compartment is separated from the single women's by a strong bulkhead, the ventilation being carried by three hatchways, six side ports, and two deck ventilators. The single men's compartment is separated by a bulkhead from the married people's, the ventilation being carried by hatchway, one deck ventilator, and two portholes. Wo have no hesitation in saying that no emigrant ship ever entered this port better fitted in every respect for the conveyance of emigrants than the ship " Palmerston." On account of her great length and her flush deck, the space allotted to the immigrants for purposes of airing and exercising was far in excess of that required by the Imperial Act. Her galley is very large, and capable of cooking for 700 passengers. The expedient employed in flushing the water-closets is worthy of imitation in immigrant ships. A large tank on the skids amidships is supplied with water by a force pump, from which two leaden pipes, one on each side, are conveyed along the tops of the bulwarks ; a branch pipe with a cock leads into each of the water-closets, which, when used, are thoroughly cleansed from all impurities by the force of the water from the cock. The captain, surgeon-superintendent, and officers of the ship seem to have performed their respective duties with kindness, yet with a degree of firmness approaching to military discipline in carrying out the rules and regulations made for the health and comfort of the immigrants, who acknowledged with gratitude the kindness shown to them on the passage. We have, &c., Colin Allan, "\ Immigration Officer, f ■ • David O'Donoghue, f Commissioners. William Thomson, ) The Under Secretary for Immigration, Wellington.

No. 42. Memorandum No. 9, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. Referring to that portion of Public Works Memorandum No. 37, of 16th March last, which relates to the selection of a proper staff of medical officers for emigrant ships coming to the Colony, I have to inform you that the Government have decided, in order to secure the services of thoroughly competent medical men, to allow the sum of £50 for the return passage to England in all cases when it shall appear that these officers have performed their duties satisfactorily. Dr. Elphinstone, surgeon-superintendent of the " St. Leonards " on her voyage to Canterbury last year, and Dr. Husband, surgeon-superintendent of the "Jessie Eeadman " on her recent voyage to Wellington, having made application for this payment on account of their return passage, you are requested, upon their reporting themselves at your office and expressing their readiness to undertake respectively the charge of another ship, to pay them the said amount of £50, and to avail yourself of their services upon the earliest opportunity. You will also be good enough to pay the same amount upon application to the widow of Dr. T. Dry, late surgeon superintendent of the " Glenmark." Although Dr. Dry had not, owing to the unfortunate loss of the ship in which he sailed, the opportunity of reporting himself prepared to take charge of another emigrant ship, yet as there can be little doubt that had he reached England he would have so done, the Government will not avail themselves of the sad calamity which befel him to deprive his family of the gratuity to which otherwise he would doubtless have become entitled. Immigration Office, Wellington, New Zealand, G-. M. Waterhoitse, 9th January, 1873. (for the Hon. Minister of Immigration).

No. 43. Memoeanditm No. 11, 1873, for the Agent-Geneeal, London. I herewith forward for your information copy of the report of the Commissioners appointed to board immigrant ships on their arrival at Port Chalmers, on the ship " Zealandia." As this vessel had landed immigrants at the Bluff before arriving at Port Chalmers, a copy of the report of the Commissioners at that port will be sent to you when received. Immigration Office, G. Matjeice O'Eoeke. Wellington, New Zealand, 17th January, 1873.