D.—la.

10

the immigrants generally was good at the time of embarkation, it is equally clear that epidemic disease was latent, if not in active existence, in the depot. In the case of the child Wolfrey, there is every reason to believe that she was infected on arrival there. The other younger members of that family being only convalescent from scarlet fever, and that stage being a very infectious one, and it being unlikely that the infected clothes they had worn during illness were destroyed or left behind, these children must have been so many centres of infection likely to spread the disease. There is no evidence to show how measles were introduced into the depot, but there is no doubt that disease was latent among the children in the depot before embarkation. The precautions at the depot against the spread of disease were not efficient. There were no sheets on the beds, and blankets which had been previously in use were issued to the " Scimitar " immigrants. Assuming this to be the practice, it is manifest that persons sleeping in used blankets are very liable to take any infectious disease the previous occupants may have had upon them. 13. The mode and time of the medical examination of the immigrants forms the next point of the inquiry. Intending immigrants appear to have been examined by a surgeon at the towns where they resided before being accepted. When accepted they proceeded to the depot, where they were at once taken in without further investigation. This preliminary medical examination does not appear, in some instances, to have been searching enough. The witness, Francis Newson, had been an inmate of the Brompton Hospital for consumptive patients, where he was told his chest was affected. The examining medical officer at Woolwich had never examined his chest at all. The examiner of the Wolfrey's, at Jersey, ought to have made a special report concerning the children who had been infected with scarlet fever. In every instance before a free immigrant is accepted there should be a special examination,as if the. person had been making a proposal for life assurance, or joining the army as a recruit. There is reason to believe some immigrants leave England for New Zealand to gain health. Attention should also be paid by the examiner to the personal appearance of the intending immigrant. Three Irish girls were deficient in clothing, and one of them so filthy in her habits that her bed and bed-clothes had to be thrown overboard. No person inspected to see that each had the prescribed quantity of clothing. The dirty condition of the girl referred to should have been noticed by the surgeon who examined her. A number of the immigrants were five and six days in the depot without any medical examination. The medical examination at the time of embarkation seemed to have been as efficient as the hurried inspection at sailing usually is. There not being time at sailing for a careful examination of several hundred persons, greater care should be exercised on the occasion of previous examinations, first, before acceptance, and second, at or immediately after entering the depot. The medical examination during the voyage appears to have been satisfactory, and the surgeon appears to have discharged a heavy weight of duty in a creditable manner. 14. The facts and circumstances attending the deaths have already been alluded to. Seven of the children who died were infants under a year old, some of whom must have succumbed to the hardships of the voyage in any circumstances. The want of milk and proper farinaceous food must have had a prejudicial effect on them and the other young children. Sixteen children were under five years of age ; two, seven years ; and one girl of seventeen. It is a satisfactory result, that with so many adults on board, there was not one death among them. 15. The laws concerning the inspection of the ship and passengers appear to have been complied with. When the ship was in dock, at London, the stores were inspected by the surgeon, accompanied by an Imperial Immigration Officer and the Despatching Officer of the New Zealand Shipping Company. Dr. Eccles, the Imperial Government Commissioner, latterly inspected the immigrants at the dep&t. This does not appear to have been a very minute inspection. George Grigg stated—" Dr. Eccles' examination of myself and family occupied about five minutes." This was a week after his admittance. This witness stated that Wolfrey's child was ill at the time. This seems to have escaped the notice of the medical inspector. Dr. Hosking, the " Scimitar's " surgeon, made a more careful examination at the depot afterwards, the immigrants being made partly to strip to show their vaccination marks and their chests. After embarkation there was an inspection by Dr. Eccles, Mr. Smith, and Captain Smail, E.N. The surgeon states the medical examination was "very careful;" the immigrants were passed one by one, the tongue examined, and in any doubtful case, the throat and skin of the chest. The witness, Grigg, characterized this as " a slight, general examination." On the assumption that he was a healthy subject himself, and easily passed, this does not conflict with the surgeon's testimony. It is doubtful whether the children were very carefully examined. To do this properly more time was necessary than was given, and the parents, being afraid of losing their passage, concealed any incipient illness. In the case of the Wolfrey's, scarlatina was detected and the family sent ashore. From what the surgeon saw at the general inspection he was not satisfied, and had doubts of the propriety of sending away so many infected people, and expressed his opinion to Dr. Eccles that they should, if practicable, have been detained ashore for isolation and treatment until the epidemic had passed. Dr. Eccles and Mr. Smith deemed this impracticable, and urged that the mortality afloat would be no worse than if they remained ashore. We do not concur in this opinion, and believe that the fact of a number of persons being crowded together on board, was unfavourable to the proper treatment of any epidemic disease, besides the danger to the colony afterwards by the introduction of disease. We are of opinion that the circumstances then existing should have induced a more stringent and careful examination, and that all suspected cases should have been detained for treatment on shore. 16. The provision made for the medical and other treatment on board was satisfactory, with the exception of the ventilation, the supply of means for baths, and the food for children. The medical stores were ample. The hospital was on the main deck, and in ordinary circumstances the accommodation would have been sufficient. The best was done for the treatment of patients in their berths, and the sick and convalescent were provided with fresh meat all the voyage. The energies of the surgeon must have been severely taxed, but his treatment appears to have been attentive and skilful, and, considering the number of cases of all kinds he had to deal with, very successful. 17. The foregoing details completely exhaust the points of this inquiry, and reference is made generally to the evidence of the witnesses examined. The following recommendations as applicable in