G.—No. 3

REPORT OE COMMISSIONERS UPON MATTERS

30

on that evening; he might have done so. Ido not think I saw Miss Tee on Monday. lam not aware of her being out of her cabin; she was hardly able to walk when I did see her some days afterwards. The captain did not introduce me to Miss Tee, until I heard of her being on board from the pilot. I cannot say if Mr. Badland was present when I was introduced to Miss Tee. When I examined the hands when I went on board, Spring was not in my opinion able to do duty, nor was Cullen. Finch was fit for duty. Captain Harrington was well, except that he suffered from spasms, which I consider to be the after-effects of his sickness. Neils Neilsen and Hans Larsen were still getting physic. Mrs. Harrington then appeared quite well. I could not separate the infected from the disinfected, as there was not room to do so on board ship, and I expected every day to be removed with the infected to the island. This could not have been done until the 17th, on account of the want of buildings. I knew of no other reason. I informed the captain he had small-pox on board on the Monday morning. He led me to understand he was taken by surprise to find that there was small-pox on board. I found no small-pox marks on Captain or Mrs. Harrington at the time of my inspection, or at any other time. All the infected and disinfected that were landed, were landed by my orders on Somes Island. I refer to the landing made on the 16th. I sent Miss Tee's name to the Board of Health as one of the parties who would require to be landed. On 13th March I made this report. I made no special report as regards the kind of accommodation required for Miss Tee on the island, as I did not consider it my duty. I had the vessel fumigated and disinfected before I left her. I remained after the emigrants had left the vessel, fumigated her, and reported so to the Board. I refumigated again within a week or a little more from the time of the first fumigation ; the second fumigation was on the 28th and 29th. I was aware of Miss Tee being aboard on this occasion, but not with my consent. I only fumigated in order to destroy the smell. I did not consider it was an official fumigation, as I considered I had no authority from the Board. I considered the second fumigation the official one. I saw the medical chest, which I considered had been roughly used; bottles broken, and medicine spilt. I found three or four tubes of vaccinating matter on board, almost empty. Some medicines I asked from Dr. Leigh were not there; Dr. Leigh said they had been destroyed—l can mention nitrate of silver for one; but there was ample medicine for treating all the patients in any stage of their disease. I saw no surgical instruments, not even a lancet; such things are generally put in a medicine chest. I could not vaccinate until I received a lancet from the Board.

By Commis sioners.

Wednesday, 24th Apeil, 1872. John Thomas Leigh, being duly sworn, saith as follows; —- I came out on board the ship " England," as surgeon in charge. I am registered as a surgeon under tho English Medical Act. I produce my certificate, dated 30th August, 1870. I studied at Charing Cross Hospital, London, for three years. Previous to this I had two years' apprenticeship. lam now twenty-seven years old. I acquired the following diplomas: —Licentiate Society of Apothecaries, London, 1869, and Licentiate Eoyal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, 1870, as mentioned in certificate which I produce. I also acquired a diploma of Licentiate in Midwifery in College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, dated 22nd July, 1870, all of which I produce. I was Surgeon's Assistant in the Charing Cross Hospital for six months. I was Prosector for the same for three months. I was Assistant in Dentistry in the same hospital for three months. I took the first prize in class examination for Practical Chemistry in 1868, and for Pathology, Anatomy, and Forensic Medicine in 1869. I produce the silver medals which I won on these occasions ; also special certificates of merit on the following subjects : —Botany, Materia Medica, Surgery, and Practice of Medicine, which I produce. After passing, I held an appointment as Medical Officer in connection with the St. Ives Union for about twelve months. I produce a certificate from the Board of Guardians, that I " performed the duties to their entire satisfaction." It is a certified extract from their minutes, dated 22nd February, 1871. I was then Eesident Physician to the North Staffordshire Hospital for six months. I resigned that appointment in consequence of my ill health, and with the view of taking a voyage to improve it. I produce an extract (certified) from the minutes of the General Committee of the North Staffordshire Infirmary, expressing their satisfaction " at the zeal, skill, and assiduity, which he has shown in the discharge of his duties ; and to testify to his high moral character." I obtained the appointment on board the " England "in reply to an advertisement. It was through Messrs. Moore and Co. I made my agreement, which I produce (marked H), and which is signed by Shaw, Saville, and Co. As an additional inducement to what appears in the agreement, I was informed that I would receive from the New Zealand Government a gratuity for the emigrants on board. I joined the ship on December 4th, some time in the afternoon. I slept on shore that night, but after that continued on board throughout the voyage. Captain Harrington showed me my cabin. I saw the emigrants when I arrived on board, and made a cursory inspection of them. I did not make any written entry in my journal. I have kept a journal throughout the voyage, which I produce (marked I). It contains notes of every case that came under my observation ; in fact, all the medical notes I made. The entries were written on the same date under which they appear, or within twenty-four hours, and while the occurrences were under my notice. I took notes on a tablet, from which I made these entries. I did not particularly inspect the emigrants as to their health until the inspection at Gravesend, on Thursday, 7th December; but prior to that I had observed that there was great discomfort for the emigrants on board ship from Monday up till Thursday. They told me (some of the Scotch single girls) they were hungry, because they could not get their food at the proper times; especially the foreigners looked cold and miserable; coughs were very prevalent amongst them. The inspection I made at Gravesend was part of the official inspection. I assisted Dr. Featherston, as I thought it my duty to do so. There were two or three gentlemen officially present on the occasion ; one of them, I believe, was a medical man, from the questions he put to the emigrants. These gentlemen arrived on board about noon, and were occupied about the ship until about 3 o'clock, when all the emigrants were called aft to the poop, where I stood beside Dr. Featherston ; he held a list of the emigrants, and the clerk held another list. I was not