D.-5

6

The following is the return of the ships conveying immigrants during the past year, showing date of arrival, length of passage, number shipped, number lauded, aud the births and deaths on the passage : —

The number is classified as follows :— 380 families, comprising 1,383 souls... ... ... = 1,035 statute adults. Single men ... ... ... ... ... 9^2 „ Single women ... ... ... ... ... 636 „ Total, 2,921 souls ... ... = 2.573 The following is a return of the trades and occupations of .the immigrants introduced, viz.: — Mules —Farm labourers, 960 ; general labourers, 71 ; gardeners, 35 ; carpenters aud joiners, 32 ; wheelwrights, 14 ; sawyers,!; coopers, 2; painters, 1; slaters, 3 ; brickmakers, 8 ; ironmculders, 3; plasterers, 2 ; shoemakers, 22 ; letterpress printer, 1 ; printer, 1; shepherds, 9 ; bootmaker, 1; blacksmiths, 4; bakers, 3 : tailors, 4; saddler, 1; bricklayers, 10; plumber, 1; brassmoulder, 1; masons, 30 ; miscellaneous, 33 : total, 1,253. Females. —-General servants, 399 ; farm servants, 40; cooks, 24 ; housemaids, 46 ; housekeepers, 4; nurses, 29; nursemaids, 2; drapers' assistant, 1; rug-cutter, 1; tailoresses, 2; dressmakers, 4; laundrymaids, 2 ; parlourmaid, 1 ; teachers, 2 ; matron (infirmary), 1 ; miscellaneous, 9 : total, 567. Tne nationality was as follows: —-English, 1,819; Irish, 809 ; Scotch, 193 ; Welsh, 45 ; Channel Islands, 18 ; Canadian,!; French, 3 ; Belgian, 2 ; American,!: total, 2,921 souls. Tue rates of wages have been as follows : —Married couples for farms and stations, £50 to £65 per annum and found ; men with families, ss. to 6s. per day with cottage ; shepherds, £50 to £60 per annum and found ; single men for farms and stations, £35 to £52 per annum and found; masons, bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers, blacksmiths, coopers, wheelwrights, painters, and plumbers, 9s. to 12s. per day; general labourers, 6s. to 7s. per day; single women —cooks £30 to £40 per anuum and found, general servants £20 to £30 per annum and found. The class of immigrants introduced this year into this district has been on the whole satisfactory, and the inspecting officers were gratified with the discipline maintained, and the general conduct of the immigrants generally. There were, however, :i few exceptions, which I reported at the time to the Government ; notably in tho case of tho ship " Boyne :" here it was found that frequent quarrels had arisen amongst the immigrants, and also among the crew ; the chief cause of which had been the sale of spirits, which formed the subject of a special inquiry, and resulted in the captain's gratuity beiug withheld, and the sum of £25 being deduced from that payable to the surgeon. The case of the ship " Piako "is one deserving of some special notice. This vessel left Plymouth on the 11th of October last with 2SS immigrants ; and on the 11th of November she was discovered to be on fire. Most providentially the barque " Loch Doon " spoke the ship soon after the fire broke out, and all the immigrants were safely transferred to her and taken to Pernambuco. Captain Boyd, of the " Piako," remained by his ship, and followed the "Loch Doon" to Pernambuco, arriving there on the 15th November, four days after the ship was found to be on fire. It was impossible to get at the fire, and to save the ship she was scuttled. During the detention at Pernambuco, which lasted thirty-four days, the immigrants were located on an island and treated with great kindness by the captain and surgeon of the ship, and also by the authorities at Pernambuco. It is worthy of remark that, although special arrangements had been made by the Agent-General to convey all the immigrants back to England, only thirty elected to return. The " Piako " arrived in Lyttelton on the sth of March last in a highly creditable condition, considering what she had passed through. An official inquiry was held on board as to the cause of tho fire ; but there was no evidence to show how it originated. It is my pleasing duty to and that the conduct of Captain Boyd, the Surgeon-Superintendent (Dr. Green), and the officers of the ship was beyond all praise. With regard to the "Stad Haarlem," I think it unnecessary to make any lengthened remarks here, as lam advised that the Inspecting Officer's report in full will bo laid before Parliament. I will only observe that it is a matter for regret that a more suitable vessel was not selected for the conveyance of so large a number of immigrants.

3 o No. Shipped. a pa a "5 o No. Landed. Souls. Adults. Remarks. Ship. Date of Arrival. d as Souls. Adults. Waitangi ... lS/s. October 17 87 319 8711 8 4=U 323 270 Quarantined on arrival. Detention, ten days. LTydaspes ... Opiwa Marlborough Novemb'r 9 December 7 „ 14 90 91 78 329 290 336 299 255 303 i 2 3 4=1 4=11 327 293 332 298 256 302 Quarantined on arrival. Detention, seven days. Waikato ... Northern Monarch ... 1879. January 18 February 1 78 100 29S 355 2611 308 3 2 3 12=5 298 345 3B11 303 Quarantined on arrival. Detention, eleven days. Bovne Piako ii 26 March 5 100 144 401 288 3501 2621 4 5 8=11 3=1 402 260 349 235 Thirty souls=26J statute adults, returned horaeirorn Pernambuco. Stad Ilaarlem April 15 59 345 300 5=01 311 299 i 2,961 2,0111 28 38=12 2,921 12573