93

D.—l

With respect to the captain and his chief officer, I have had from them the greatest assistance. The captain especially has supported me in everything, and done his very best to fulfil the conditions of the contract, and I cannot speak too highly of him in every respect. Heuey Wir. DrvEH, L.E.C.R, M.R.C.S.E., Late Recruiting Surgeon, lI.M. Army. The condenser broke down on the Ist of May, see page 87, Journal, but there were no complaints. I think the cook-house should be properly inspected before leaving (in all ships), as in this one there was hardly sufficient room (so I was always told) to cook for so many — i.e. ovens, boilers, &c. The " surgeon's " cabin should be fitted for him with a fixed writing board, and paper, &c, so that he may be able to attend to his books and any correspondence without disturbance. The bedding should be carefully inspected before going on board, for I am told they were nearly all very damp. This, I think, is most important, as it is dangerous to health. The bedding was also very bad, in my opinion.—H. W. D.

Enclosure 2 in No. 99. Memobandtjm for Mr. Hattghtoit I deem it my duty to bring under notice the following notes which I have made from time to time, after conversations with the captain and doctor of the ship " "Wild Duck:"— 1. The medicine chest was not procured from Apothecaries' Hall, as has been frequently impressed upon the Agent-General, and which he states in his letter of the March, No. 150 will be the case in future contracts. Many important medicines were either not supplied at all or were short. The surgeon had no opportunity of inspecting the medicine chest, as it did not arrive on board until the day the ship sailed. 2. There were only 40 tins of preserved milk, whereas there should have been at least 130. This is a very important matter, for nothing is more damaging to emigration than for parents to think that their children will not receive proper nourishment during the voyage. The quantity of milk, and such medical stores as are generally required for young children, should be proportionate to the number of children on board each ship, and not according to the number of statute adults. 3. The supply of charcoal and sand for drying purposes was quite insufficient, and there was no wood from which to make charcoal. 4. The porter and port wine were short. 5. It appears desirable to appoint the snrgeon-superintendeut of an emigrant ship ten days or a fortnight before the vessel sails, and it should be his duty to inspect all medical stores, beds, &c, as they coino on board. Of course he would expect to be remunerated for this; but when the advantages 'of having everything inspected and properly put away under the surgeon's own supervision are considered, the question of remuneration is trifling. 6. There was no officer from the Agent-General's Department to talk over matters with the captain or surgeon. The former only received his instructions quarter of an hour before the vessel sailed, whicK were handed to him with the remark that he would have plenty of time to study them before he reached New Zealand. It would appear desirable that the Agent-General should have a proper officer to thoroughly explain the most minute matters to the surgeons, who, generally, are men who have not had any experience in emigrant ships. Owing to the want of some such explanation, it takes a surgeon three or four weeks before he really finds out what is required of him. 7. It was not in the ship's articles that the officers and seamen of the vessel were not to communicate with the female immigrants, although it is so required by clause 20 of the contract. 8. There was no baker on board, as required by clause 8 of the contract, and the space in the cooking galley was totally insufficient. 9. Some accommodation should be provided to enable surgeons to perform the large amount of writing required of them. H. J. H. Eliott, Immigration Office, Wellington, 27th May, 1873. Immigration Officer.

No. 100. Memoeandum No. 119, 1873, for the Agent-Geneeal, London. In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of 18th March, 1873, relating to the arrangements of your Department, I must in the first instance express my regret that you should have so entirely misconceived the instructions of the Government relative to the employment and remuneration of Emigration Agents accredited to you from the Colony. With regard to Messrs. Birch and Seaton, nothing can he plainer than the terms of Mr. Reeves' Memorandum No. 69, 1872, wherein he says- — " I have to request that you will pay these gentlemen upon the same system as that adopted by you for other agents, viz. in proportion to the actual work done. Mr. Ormond's instructions were equally clear with regard to Mr. Farnall; under date 25th January, 1572, he writes—" You will observe, as in the case of Messrs. Birch and Seaton, the remuneration to Mr. Farnall is made contingent on your being able to avail yourself of his assistance, and on the character of the services rendered." I am at a loss to understand how, in the face of these memoranda, and the constantly reiterated instructions of the Government that in these and similar matters you were to exercise the very fullest discretionary power, you should now state that out of the total amount of the expenses of your Department, £0,300, " £3,700 has been incurred by the General Government without any reference to yourself, by the creation of offices in which you had no voice, and which in your judgment were, in the majority of cases, wholly unnecessary."