D.—2.

55

this accommodation could only be had by emptying one of the already occupied compartments or by erecting a building on deck. As regards the former, it is clear that the saloon, filled by some thirty cabin passengers, could not be interfered with ; the single women's compartment must also be passed over, and also that for the single men, inasmuch as, owing to their number, they could not be accommodated elsewhere. The only remaining compartment was that of the married people aft, and through this was the passage to the storekeeper's issuing room, involving a constant thoroughfare; and separated from it by a light partition, by no means air-tight, was the single women's apartment. By making a hospital here, the disease would thus have been brought back again to the single women, and the whole ship also exposed to it through the constant issuing of stores. I therefore submit that the extra hospital accommodation desired by the Commissioners could not have been obtained below. If obtainable at all, it must be had on deck. And here I gained two extra beds by knocking down a partition, and making changes in the existing Government hospital. Further extension on deck I did not see my way to. No structure could have been placed on the deck-houses, as the spars were in the way ; and owing to the deck being covered with captain's room, chart-room, and ladies' room, and also large saloon and engine-room skylights, no sufficiently large space could be obtained for a hospital. It must be borne in mind that nine cases occurred in the week of the second appearance of scarlet fever, and unless all these cases had been provided for, the removal of part of them would have been useless. It was discussed between the captain and myself as to using one of the lower compartments (already referred to) as a hospital, but the extension of the existing hospital, spoken of above, was all that appeared to us practicable. It may appear to some that a hospital could have been erected on the quarterdeck ; but I think it is a very grave question, even admitting it practicable, whether a hospital should have been placed there amongst thirty saloon passengers, of whom three were children, and all at the time free from disease. As to placing the sick in improvised hospitals, in the boats or under sailcloth, I consider that had such a course been adopted, a greater mortality than what actually occurred would have been arrived at. Even with the utmost care to avoid cold and exposure, three children were lost from bronchitis out of eight attacked, whilst the total mortality of the voyage from scarlet fever was five out of twenty-one cases. In proof of the extensive existence of disease on board, and of my effortsjto arrest it, I hand in my official diary of the voyage, and also my medical journal. With reference to paragraph 7, I state that I had no reason to suppose that the supply of water was short. Only on one occasion was a complaint made to me. I went to the captain, and it was rectified at once. The children did not suffer from any short supply of water. At the commencement of the voyage I went round the messes, informing them individually the quantity of children's food they wero entitled to, and carefully entered the same in detail on their mess cards. I also made a copy of this in the mess book for the guidance of the storekeeper. When I found that differences still continued between the mess captains and the storekeeper regarding the issues of provisions (especially those for the children), I appointed a man, chosen by the emigrants at my request, to stand by the storekeeper at each issue, and check the food supplied, both as to quantity and times of serving out. With reference to the evidence showing that the 'midships were dirty, I state that this compartment was as clean and dry as it could be kept, considering that the emigrants' cooking galley was in it, and also that the water supplied during part of the voyage was pumped up from the lower hold through this compartment. I was constantly appealing to the captain about the leaking of the decks and decklights, and this leakage was in a measure rectified. I state that the compartments below were steadily disinfected during the voyage, by the use of chloride of lime daily in the water-closets and of carbolic powder very frequently in the side channels and over the deck of all the compartments. In addition to this, the beds and bottom boards were regularly taken on deck twice a week when the weather permitted. All the compartments were thoroughly washed out with lime three times during the voyage. Wm. J. Davison.

No. 50. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 145.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 2nd June, 1874. Herewith I have the honor to forward copies of the report of the Immigration Commissioners at Lyttelton upon the ship " Apelles," with its enclosure, a memorandum entitled " Suggestions for the better arrangement of Emigrant Ships," by the surgeon-superintendent; also, the certified list of the births and deaths occurring upon the voyage. There is nothing especially calling for remark in the report, but the memorandum by the surgeon appears to me to be worthy of consideration, and to this I desire to direct your attention. The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 50. Commissionees' Repoet on Ship "Apelles." The Commissioners beg to report that the above ship arrived on sth instant, after a passage of ninetyfive days. The immigrants were all in good health, and no sickness whatever had occurred during the passage. The 'tween-decks was lofty, well lighted and ventilated, and as the whole of the ship was given up to the immigrants, they had ample space. The different compartments were clean.