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4

Now, therefore, I, William Francis Drummond Jervois, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, reposing great trust and confidence in your knowledge and ability, by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said colony, and in pursuance and exercise of every power and authority enabling me in that behalf, do hereby appoint you, the said Geoe&b Wallinoton Gbabham, Joseph Henby, and James Hackwoeth, to be Commissioners for the purposes hereinafter set forth ; that is to say : To inquire into the origin, outbreak, and existence of any infectious or other disease or bodily ailment on board the said ship during her voyage from Plymouth aforesaid to Port Nicholson aforesaid. And into the state of health of the said passengers, immigrants, and other persons at the time of their embarkation on board the said ship at Plymouth aforesaid, or immediately prior thereto : And abo as to the mode and time of the medical examination of such passengers, immigrants, and other persons before or after such embarkation as aforesaid. And into all the facts and circumstances attending the death of such passengers, immigrants, and other persons as aforesaid on board the said ship during the said voyage: And into the compliance and non-compliance by all and every person and persons liable and chargeable in that behalf with the laws relating to or affecting passenger ships in so far as the same affect the said ship " Oxford :" And into the provision made for the medical and other treatment, and actual medical or other treatment, of the immigrants, passengers, and other persons on board such ship during the said voyage: And generally as to whether the provisions, water, and stores were of good quality, and in quantity sufficient for the requirements of the immigrants during the voyage, in accordance with the quantities and qualities prescribed in the Parliamentary Paper aforesaid, and as to the fitness of the said ship for the conveyance of immigrants and passengers to the colony : And, for the better effecting the purposes of this Commission, you and each of you are hereby empowered and authorized to summon before you by writing such persons as you shall judge likely to afford you any information on the subject of this Commission, and to award to any witness attending on such summons such expenses as are, by " The Commissioners Powers Act, 1887," authorized to be paid, and to inquire of and concerning the premises by all other lawful means and ways whatsoever. And this Commission shall continue in full force and virtue, and you the said Commissioners, or either of you, may from time to time, and at any place or places within the Provincial District of Wellington, proceed in the execution hereof, and of every matter and thing herein contained, although the inquiry be not regularly continued from time to time by adjournment. And lastly, that you do, with as little delay as possible, report to me under your hands your opinion resulting from the said inquiry of and concerning the several matters and things herein set forth. Given under the hand of His Excellency Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois, Lieutenant-General in Her Majesty's Army, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Companion of the Most , > Honourable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her (L.s.j Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same ; and issued under the Seal of the said Colony at the Government House, at Wellington, this ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three. W. Bolleston, Approved in Council. Minister of Immigration. Foestee Goring, Clerk of the Executive Council.

Enclosure 2 in Ko. 3. Dr. Gbabham to the Hon. the Ministee of Immigration. Sib,— Wellington, 29th August, 1883. I have the honour to forward herewith the report of the Commission appointed to inquire into the origin and existence of infectious and other disease on board the barque " Oxford" during her voyage from Plymouth to Port Nicholson, together with the Commission issued by His Excellency the Governor, the evidence taken by us, Surgeon-Superintendent's report, and Parliamentry Paper D.-i, 1883. I have the honour to request that you will be good enough to forward these documents to His Excellency the Governor. I have, &c, G. W. Geabham, M.D., The Hon. the Minister of Immigration. Chairman of the Commission.

Sub-Enclosure In Enclosure 2 in No. 3. Kepoiit of Eoyal Commission re " Oxford." May it please youb Excellency,— Wellington, 29th August, 1883. We, the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the origin and outbreak of typhoid fever, and other circumstances attending the voyage of the barque "Oxford" from England to Port Nicholson, having proceeded to make inquiries intrusted to us, and having taken evidence, have the honour to report that we have elicited the following facts : — The Commissioners regret that they have not had the advantage of seeing the detailed report of the circumstances attending the first voyage of the ship promised by Sir F. D. Bell, but not yet to hand (vide Parliamentary Paper attached, D.~4, 1883, p. 6). In the absence of this important