D.—2

4

This ship was fitted up with compartments exactly similar to the " Berar," with the additional comfort of a large bath. The clear space between the ship's side and the bunks is a very great comfort, and adds much to the cleanliness of the compartments. The ventilation seemed sufficient and good. The provisions were all of the best quality, and there w-as an ample supply of fresh water, and a good condenser. There w rere no complaints from any of the passengers. One infant died on the voyage. In conclusion, we beg to recommend that the gratuities be paid to the officers. We have, Ac, T. M.lw>s. Health Officer,] Co-imissicmers.

No. 5. The Hon. J. A 7 ogel to the Agent-General. (No. 224.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1873. Referring to Mr. O'Rorke's Memorandum No. 202, 1873, I forward herewith copies of the report of the Immigration Commissioners upon the ship " Douglas," and reports to those officers and to the Immigration Officer by the surgeon-superintendent. I have, in the first place, to congratulate you upon having secured for the despatch of our emigrants a ship so exceedingly suitable for the purpose, and so much in every respect in advance of those previously employed. The admirable arrangements for ventilation, consequent upon the construction of the vessel, having been fully taken advantage of by the captain and surgeon-superintendent, enabled the small-pox to bo entirely stamped out at sea, and rendered the later epidemic, scarlet fever, of an innocuous character. Many of the suggestions contained in these reports will no doubt commend themselves to your consideration, and I need hardly impress upon you the desire of the Government that our emigrants should be made in every way as comfortable as the circumstances of a long sea voyage will permit, and that the consideration of expense is in no way to interfere with arrangements for the security of their health. There are two or three points raised in Dr. Tuck's reports, which I regret to say are not of a satisfactory character. He complains that "no provision was made for the issue of arrowroot to children under four years of age," as provided by the contract ticket, and that the eggs were short in quantity and badly preserved, and that "no condensed egg was shipped at all." The health of the children at sea so entirely depends upon their receiving proper nourishment, that I am sure you will agree with me, that not only should the greatest care be taken in the preparation of a liberal dietary scale, but the closest investigation made, before passing the ship for sea, that the requisite articles are placed on board, securely and properly packed. The charter-party would further appear, from Dr. Tuck's reports, to have been infringed in a most important matter. He says, " the ship was not ready when the passengers embarked, the fittings not being completed, dead lights and ventilators not provided, until we reached Gravesend." I take it for granted that this was at the time brought under your notice by the despatching officer, and that steps have been taken to prevent the future occurrence of such irregularity, so likely to promote dissatisfaction amongst the emigrants at the commencement of their voyage. I have, Ac, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 5. Commissioners' Report on Ship "Douglas." Sir,— • Wellington, 9th October, 1873. We have the honor to report that the ship " Douglas " arrived on the 25th ultimo, with 314 Government immigrants. Six deaths (all being infants under one year) and five births occurred during the voyage. As the surgeon-superintendent reported to the Health Officer that small-pox had broken out soon after leaving England, and that a mild type of scarletina was then on board, the vessel was taken direct to the Quarantine Station without coming up the harbour. As soon as possible we visited Somes' Island, and gave instructions for the immigrants to be landed, and all the fittings in the 'tween-decks to be burnt, the ship to be thoroughly fumigated and painted throughout, all immigrants' clothing used during the voyage, bedding, Ac, as well as the woollen furniture and clothes belonging to the ship, both in the saloon and forecastle, to be passed through the fumigating house on the island. The surgeon-superintendent having reported that all instructions with regard to the cleansing of the ship had been carried out, we proceeded on board on Saturday, the 4th instant, for the purpose of inspecting her, and we were indeed pleased to find her so well adapted for the conveyance of immigrants. In fact, we feel confident that if the vessel had not been so well ventilated, very serious consequences must have ensued. A roomy deck-house formed a most convenient and well-ventilated hospital, and we were glad to learn that the authorities in England had authorized its being used for that purpose. In addition to this, the captain and surgeon-superintendent, when the small-pox first broke out, had fitted up a large hospital between the boats above this deck-house, and in our opinion it was mainly owing to the hospitals being on deck that the surgeon was enabled to stamp out the disease on its first appearance. On proceeding below we found the ship had 230 ft. x 39 ft. clear for the use of the immigrants, and that she was 8 ft, between decks, being also remarkably well-lighted and veutilated.