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No. 65. Memorandum No. 55, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. Herewith is forwarded copy of the report of Dr. Pollen, Immigration Officer, Auckland, upon the ship " Warwick," with enclosures; and I desire to call your attention to the general summary of the voyage by the surgeon-superintendent, Dr. Payne, and more especially to his remarks upon the appointment of matron and the position of the hospitals. Advice of the arrival of this ship, with copy of the report of the Immigration Commissioners, was forwarded by the San Francisco Mail leaving 11th March, 1873. Immigration Office, Wellington, New Zealand, G. Maurice O'Borke 3rd April, 1873.

Enclosure 1 in No. 65. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. G. M. O'Eoeke. General Government Offices, Sib,— Auckland, 13th March, 1873. I have the honor to report the arrival of the ship " Warwick," on the 10th February last, from London, with assisted immigrants, 103 souls, equal to 135j statute adults. A return of the nationalities of the immigrants is annexed. Two births and one death occurred amongst them during the voyage. The immigrants were landed on the 11th, and taken to the Barracks. The official list of, and the promissory notes given by them were not received here until the 17th—seven days after the arrival of the ship; and I was not able, in consequence, to get the new stamps on the promissory notes cancelled by the givers in the usual course. Some delay must now necessarily take place before all the notes can be put into proper form, in consequence of the dispersion of the people. Of the single women, all those who had not friends to receive them found immediate employment at the current rate of wages, viz. from Bs. to 12s. per week. Difficulty was experienced in finding employment for married men with families, who had not been accustomed to or were unfit for manual labour, and there were several of that class in this shipment. In one instance, I was obliged to provide rations after an emigrant and his family had left the Barracks, in order to save them from starvation, the Provincial authorities having refused to give any assistance. The Immigration Commissioners have already reported unfavourably of the arrangements on board the " Warwick " for ventilation and for the accommodation of the passengers ; and I beg leave to call attention to the suggestions made in the report of the surgeon-superintendent (copy of which is enclosed) relative to the appointment of matrons, and to the position of hospitals in ships carrying many passengers. I have, &c, The Hon. Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

Enclosure 2 in No. 65. Ship " "Warwick " from London to Auckland. —General Summary of the Voyage. IToit a summary of this nature to have any merit it must be concise, and this therefore will be my aim. We left the Dock on the Ist November, and dropped down the river to Gravesend, where the inspection took place next day. November 3rd we started, and dropped the pilot on the Bth at the Wight. We sighted Madeira on the 18th, crossed the line on 4th December, sighted Trinidad on the 12th, and then saw no more land till we made the Three Kings on the 6th February, and finally anchored off the Lighthouse on 9th February. Now as to the events of the voyage, as lying within my province : — Looking back, and unmoved by little matters which might have ruffled me at the time, the general conduct of the emigrants has been very good. My own great difficulty was occasioned by the lamentable choice of a matron on the part of Mr. Ottywell, the Agent-General's representative; not but ■what the girl has done her best, but her extreme youth —18—ought alone to have prevented her appointment ; and notwithstanding that she was seconded by an assistant, she has been of very little use on deck. Below, she has certainly kept things clean ; but above, the whole work of keeping those girls off the deck and from the fore part of the ship has devolved practically upon me, which, considering that there has been a great deal of sickness on board, was no very easy matter. Many girls, the majority, were docile enough, but some of them gave me a deal of trouble. It appears to me that a married woman should be selected as matron, one from 35 to 40 years of age, with her husband on board ; the latter to act in capacity of constable to fetch their food and assist her on deck, but of course not to live with her. The next matter in importance, if not the very first, is a pioper site for the hospitals. I trust the Commissioners will excuse me if I say that a more improper site could scarcely have been selected than those they now occupy, right among the healthy. Quiet is nature's great restorative. Quiet! sleep ! how can either be obtained in the midst of awful noise in the 'tween decks, but far more especially in the fore-hatch ? We have had two deaths on board: the second steward, of enteric fever, and a free steerage passenger, from peritonitis, of which more anon. Of the steward I would now speak as far only as applies to this topic. Here is a case demanding imperatively the utmost quiet, and, if on no other grounds, ought to be separated from the common room of those in full enjoyment of health and spirits. At one time, lam confident, his life could have been saved, could I only have obtained quiet. At a time when the brain was in the highest state of excitement, when the slightest noise startles and alarms your patient, what chance has any medical man when such a fearful row is going on, to all intents and purposes, in his very room ? Laughing, shouting, loud talking, now a form

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