65

D.—l.

them and all your officers not to communicate with Saville. Do not stipulate for London as port embarkation. No agreement for steamers unless to New Zealand direct. " Brechin Castle " offered return with emigrants £14 10s.; better than any ship Saville's. Do not employ Buller; Assembly not tolerate; if not back in time, loses appointment. Immigrants wholly insufficient. Government instruct you make monetary conditions at least as liberal as Queensland, and more so if requisite. Obtain number ordered. You may withhold all monetary restrictions you think proper, maintaining conditions of selection, good health, and suitability. Prohibition respecting winter arrival withdrawn. Vogel.

No. 68. Memorandum No. 59, 1873, for the A gent-General, London. Herewith is forwarded report of the Immigration Commissioners upon the ship " Glenlora," which ship arrived at Wellington upon the 11th March, 1873 ; also the report of the proceedings in the Resident Magistrate's Court upon the prosecution instituted against the ship by the Emigration Officer under " The Passengers Act, 1855," which resulted in the captain being amerced in a fine of £25, with costs, in each case. These enclosures speak for themselves ; and it is only necessary that I should add that it is anything but satisfactory to the Government to find that the repeated remonstrance of Mr. Waterhouse and myself, with regard to the inefficient inspection of ships and selection of emigrants, are not only not attended to, but seem not to be considered worthy of notice in your correspondence. Immigration Office, Wellington, New Zealand, G. Maurice O'Borke 12th April, 1873.

Enclosure 1 in No. 68. Eeport by Immigration Commissioners on Ship " G-lenlora." "Wellington, 14th March, 1873. "We have the honor to report, for the information of the Government, that on the 11th instant we visited the ship " Glenlora," Captain Culbert, while anchored at the Heads. On coming alongside the vessel we were informed that the surgeon-superintendent, Dr. L'Estrange, had died upon the voyage; but learning from the captain that the general health of the passengers was good, we proceeded on board for the purpose of inspection. We found, on inquiry, that the " Glenlora " had left London on the 7th August, 1872 ; was dismasted on the 10th October, in latitude 41° 45' S., longitude 23° 47' E., during a hurricane; that she had put into Mauritius on the 15th November, 1872, and had sailed thence for New Zealand on the sth January, 1873. Shortly after leaving Mauritius she fell in with the barque " Der Fuchs," dismasted and in a sinking state, and took on board the crew of that vessel, consisting of Captain Fuchs and nine sailors, and four Lascars, the crew of a Mauritius pilot boat, who happened to be on board when the " Der Fuchs " had cast off from her moorings at the Mauritius on the approach of the hurricane in which she was disabled. This unexpected addition to the passengers of the "Grlenlora," and her somewhat protracted voyage from the Mauritius, had made the provisions run short, and we found that for several days before coming in the whole of the passengers and crew had been living chiefly on rice. As, however, a signal had been made that the ship was short of provisions, the agents of the vessel had sent in the boat which conveyed us a supply of fresh meat, bread, and vegetables. We ascertained that three deaths had taken place throughout the voyage—namely, Dr. L'Estrange, one baby born on board, and Louisa Hendley, six months, at Mauritius ; and one birth; and that there were on board at the time of our visit— Government immigrants as follows :—

Thirteen families, containing ... ... 44 souls = 32 statute adults. Seventeen single men ... ... ... 17 ,, = 17 ,, Eleven single women ... ... ... 11 „ = 11 „ " Glenlora's" crew ... ... ... ... 28 „ = 28 „ Crew of " Der Fuchs" ... ... ... 14 „ = 14 „ Cabin passengers ... ... ... .„ 4 „ = 4 „ Total ... ... ... 118 „ = 106

Since leaving Mauritius both the passengers and crew had suffered from the " Mauritius fever," an agueish low fever, which reduced the patients to a state of great debility, but which does not appear to be infectious. On visiting the single women's compartment, which was situated in the stern cabins on the poopdeck, we found that it was light, airy, and commodious ; but we found that the bath room, which, under the contract with Messrs. Shaw, Saville, and Co. is to be provided for the use of the single women, had throughout the voyage been made use of by the cabin passengers and the officers of the ship, and that shortly after leaving the Mauritius the single women had been entirely debarred from its use by orders of the captain or chief-officer of the ship. We found also that there was a door opening upon the bath-room from the saloon cabin, over which the matron or person in charge of the single women had no control. Both the married people's compartment and that of the single men was well-fitted, convenient, and well ventilated with patent ventilators, and we consider the arrangements generally satisfactory as regards the accommodation afforded to these two classes of the immigrants. 9—D. 1.