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in your office since the 21st December last in defiance of the positive instructions of the Government not to employ him. Immigration Office, Wellington, sth July, 1873. G. Maukice O'Rorke.

No. 111. Memorandum No. 137, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. Referring to my Memorandum No. 133, 1873, of 2nd instant, I herewith transmit copy of an interim report upon the ship " Edwin Pox," which has been received from the Commissioners at Lyttelton. Immigration Office, Wellington, sth July, 1873. G. Maurice O'Rorke.

Enclosure in No. 111. Interim Report by Immigration Commissioners on Ship "Edwin Fox." The undersigned visited the ship " Edwin Vox " previously to the taking down of the 'tween deck fittings, and report — 1. The condenser acted well through voyage. 2. The rations as sampled were very satisfactory as regards quality. 3. The arrangements of the ship do not give the Commissioners satisfaction. 4. The berths were after the old pigeon-hole fashion, athwart-ships, and the ends close to the ship's lining, affording neither provision for decency in dressing and undressing, nor escape from the effluvium from bilge-water. 5. Cargo was stowed between the several compartments between the single men and the families, and between the families and the single women, so that ventilation fore and aft was impossible (by louvres). There was an hospital (so called) for single women, but the bath and water-closet were in it—a most objectionable arrangement. Wm. Donald, Health Officer. John Bouse, Surgeon,

No. 112. Memorandum No. 139, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. "With reference to your letter No. 213, of 11th April last, in which you discuss at great length Mr. Waterhouse's Memorandum relative to the quarantining of the ships " Christian McAusland" and " Palmerston," I desire to remark, in the first place, that the case of the ship "Bebington," which was then fresh in the mind of Ministers, naturally led to the presumption, when two ships were reported as being placed in quarantine wdth fever on board at Port Chalmers, that a similar neglect of proper means of ventilation might not improbably have been the stimulating cause. The report of the Commissioners upon the " Christian McAusland" to some extent bears out this idea ; for they confine their remarks upon ventilation to the expression of a "belief" that " the ventilation was sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Act," whilst they admit that they were unable to board the ship until all "the fittings, bulkheads, and bunks had been removed." With regard to the " Palmerston," there is no doubt that a mistake was made by the local agent, upon which a portion of the Hon. Mr. Watcrhouse's remarks were founded. I am not inclined to discuss with you whether perfect ventilation can be secured in the absence of side ports or scuttles; I believe this depends very much upon the construction of the ship, the number and position of the hatchways and ventilators. The "Jessie Eeadman" has very large hatchways, well protected from the weather, and has no permanent bulkheads {i.e., is not built in compartments). The different classes of emigrants can therefore, in this and similar ships, be divided for all practical purposes, by bulkheads not reaching to the deck above, and thus a free current of air is almost continuous between the several hatchways. Without, therefore, further questioning your premises, I am inclined to agree with your conclusion, " that no vessels ought to be deemed suitable for the conveyance of emigrants in which the ventilation cannot be made perfect independently of scuttles ;" but at the same time I think it right to remind you that the absence of anything like perfection in this matter has been the subject of comment by the Commissioners in the case of the large majority of our emigrant ships; and I agree with the Hon. Mr. Waterhouse, that side ports or scuttles are very desirable in emigrant ships, for the purpose of "light" as well as "ventilation." Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th July, 1873. G. Maurice O'Robke.

No. 113. Memorandum No. 141, 1873, for the Agent-General, London. Enclosed are copies of a letter from the Belgian Consul-General at Melbourne, and my reply, on the subject of immigration to this Colony. I think the questions he discusses are highly deserving of consideration, and I trust, if you concur in the views expressed in my reply to Mr. Beethre, you will take steps to give as much publicity as possible in Belgium and the Continent generally (if it has not been already done) to the terms on which you offer passages to person emigrating to New Zealand.