D.—2

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decks. We consider that all the hospitals should be either on deck or under the poop. The single men complained that they suffered great inconvenience from the fact that all the coals for the use of the ship were brought up through their compartment. We would suggest that some means should be adopted, either by a bulkhead or shoot, for remedying the inconvenience complained of. We inspected the immigrants on Saturday, and found that the children were rapidly recovering, and that all the luggage and clothing of tho passengers had been thoroughly fumigated and washed, and we accordingly decided on landing all the passengers on Monday, the ship having proceeded to the wharf on Saturday, the 3rd instant. The immigrants were all brought to town on Monday, the sth instant, and taken to the depot. They seem to be a healthy lot of people, and have been landed in good condition. They stated that their allowance of food, Ac, had been ample, and that they had no complaints to make. Captain Mclnness and Surgeon-Superintendent Pratt seem to have faithfully performed the duties required of them, and we have much pleasure in recommending the payment of all gratuities. We append extract from the surgeon-superintendent's journal, to which we direct your attention. We have, Ac, Alexandee JonNSTON, M.D.,A John Holliday, > Commissioners. H. J. H. Eliott. ) The Under Secretary for Immigration, Wellington. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 1 in No. 24. (Extract from Journal of Surgeon of Ship " Duke of Edinburgh.") ***#*'* * * * * * # I now come to the fittings of tho ship. The hatches, being temporary, were made in the cheapest and worst manner. They were not water-tight, as I soon found out. The hinges were bad. I consider them, on the whole, fearfully dangerous. If the decks were swept, the hatches would have floated away like match-boxes, and it is doubtful whether any human being would have been left to tell the tale, as the ship must have filled between decks. As regards the berthing, I may remark that I had seventeen children in the after starboard main alley, and three in the fore starboard one. I think families might be separated in a -better manner. Note 2.—Particular attention should be paid to berthing, and the number of children should be, as far as possible, equally distributed in the various alleys. The ventilation is decidedly good. The food is very good, and served in ample quantities. The supply of water is, in my opinion, too liberal, as I discovered that in many cases one day's allowance sufficed for two, also that the immigrants (some of them) would save up the water for purposes of washing, not for extra washing of their faces, that was by no means likely, but for their soiled linen, Ac. Note 3.—With the exception of the time an emigrant ship is in the tropics, I think the allowance of water might be reduced a little. I should have stated previously, that although I gave strict orders, and that the captain did the same, relative to washing linen between decks, still I am sorry to state that it was in a slight degree carried on by a few of the emigrants, despite the vigilance of constables and the stringent orders issued. The deck-lights were put in in a most disgraceful manner : I allude especially to the one in my surgery and the three on the starboard fore-part of the main hatch. It is my firm belief they were put in on a wet day, or else there was utter carelessness in the adjustment of them. The amount of water they admitted between decks was very considerable, and I attribute one very serious case of sickness to no other cause than the malplacement of the deck lights. Note 4.—1 consider that proper attention should be shown to this matter, though in the eyes of some the matter might appear very trifling. As regards stores, they were put on board in a most careless manner, and one important article, i.e., sand, was omitted altogether. As it has been my earnest desire to keep the between decks as clean as possible, I was somewhat more than disgusted to discover that I was prevented from doing so in the manner I wished, and compelled to resort always to scraping, which must in the end do serious damage to the ship. My surgery, although placed in the steadiest part of the ship, was often flooded with water from the leaking of the deck-light, and was, owing to the noise on deck, and the screaming below from the children, about the worst place a man could have to dispense medicine in. I had the deck-light knocked out and replaced, but lam sorry to say that, on the whole, matters were made worse by so doing. I here notice as regards the careless way the stores were put board. I state that of a barrel of bottled beer (medical comforts), supposed to contain forty-eight bottles, I realized twenty-five entire. The rest were smashed, not by the motion of the ship, but by the way they were stowed or rather flung on board, I must also notice that I missed some small quantity of brandy and gin (medical comforts), which I believe to havo been stolen in the docks. Note s.—lt would be better for the surgeon to have some quiet place aft for his surgery, as what he will lose in the steadiness of his feet he will certainly gain in the steadiness of his head. On the 2nd October the eggs were all served out, and I must state that the majority of them were rotten. They were shamefully packed in salt. There was no sand found, though every endeavour was made to find it. I have little or nothing more to say about the ship. The supply of disinfectants was very good, and was well made use of. The maximum of condenser's work was 150 gallons ; the minimum 80. As the voyage promised to be very long, the water was reduced a little. The captain and I explained to the people the necessity wo were under. C. W. Pbatt.