2

D.-ll

Parliamentary Paper, D.-4, 1883.) It would be interesting to learn whether other ships using the same supply have also suffered. Complaints were made as to the wet and dirty condition of the main or passengers' deck on joining the ship for the first voyage. The assistant-cook fell ill shortly after leaving London, and remained so until landed at Cardiff. His symptoms, as described to us by witnesses, are not incompatible with those of a mild attack of typhoid. The outbreak of fever on the first voyage has already formed the subject of a report by the Agent-General, and need not be gone into here. The Bepairs, &c, of the Ship at Cardiff. —The water-tanks are stated to have been emptied by means of a force-pump into the dock and then whitewashed. The Commissioners find that, after using the pumps as far as possible, a quantity of water remained in each tank, and that this was removed with buckets and swabs ; a good deal was slopped about, and no doubt found its way into the bilges and fouled them. The ship was fumigated more than once, but that the hold was not affected or purified is shown. by the survival of numerous rats which made their appearance shortly after. The cargo hatches were not removed during the fumigation. The Commissioners are informed that the bedding which had been used by the emigrants was given to the poor at Cardiff after fumigation. The condenser appears to have been removed at Cardiff for repairs, and advantage was taken of the opportunity for cementing the leaky brick flooring of the engine-house. It is to be regretted that some more efficient means was not adopted for making it watertight, cement being sure to crack with the straining of the vessel. A lead lining would have been effective; whereas great inconvenience was suffered on the subsequent voyage through the want of a proper floor, and considerable leakage occurred, as seen by the evidence of the immigrant Marshall. The tanks were inspected before they were refilled by an officer of the Board of Trade. The stores and provisions for the use of the immigrants were good, as shown by the evidence and by the examination by us of the residue left on arrival in port. Complaints regarding the bread point to an inefficient baker. There was, however, a deficiency of small stores, which do not appear to have been replenished at Cardiff or Plymouth, and a great want of candles. Some of these goods were, moreover, Improperly stowed and inaccessible until the removal of some tanks at the termination of the voyage. The first case of typhoid fever on the second voyage occurred on the 18th May, and eight altogether were attacked before reaching Wellington, of whom two died. The disease was almost entirely confined to the single men and single women. The only other case in the married-people's compartment was that of a child who fell ill almost at the conclusion of the voyage. The condenser was only worked fifty-nine days ; it consumed so much coal that had the voyage been protracted a sufficient quantity would not have remained for cooking purposes. Leakings of the decks occurred in several places, as pointed out by the surgeon in his report and evidence. We find that before joining the ship on the second voyage the whole of the immigrants were very carefully examined by a medical officer of the Board of Trade, and by the surgeon-superinten-dent. All appeared to be free from infectious disorder, but the bad physical condition of some of them is remarked upon by Dr. Wasse in his report. One young woman brings a certificate from an English medical practitioner to the effect that she is in the second stage of phthisis, and that a voyage to and residence in New Zealand may possibly do her much good. Proper hygienic measures appear to have been carefully followed by the surgeon-superintendent during the voyage, and his treatment of the patients appears to have been careful and judicious. Every available precaution was adopted by him to check the spread of the outbreak, which resulted in two fatalities from a total of eight persons attacked during the voyage. Fortunately this was a short one ; had it been protracted, the result must have been disastrous, judging by the number of those who developed the disease shortly after landing. As regards the management of the ship nothing has been elicited which reflects the slightest blame upon the officers and crew; on the contrary, the captain appears to have been kind and attentive to the immigrants. Bemabks and Becommendations. We consider that it would be wiser in future to avoid sending immigrants by a ship in which an epidemic has recently occurred, and from which the cargo has not been removed, so as to enable a thorough fumigation, cleaning, painting, and disinfection of bilges and all other parts to be carried out. We would draw attention to the want of proper supervision which occurred in the case of the single women when sent from the depot at Plymouth into private lodgings; this being as necessary for sanatory as for moral reasons. The surgeon-superintendent in his report speaks of the insufficient bed-clothing provided on board the ship; of the grave inconvenience caused by the want of candles, children's stores, spare glass, and tarpaulins; also of the leakiness of the decks : these are matters worthy of consideration. We would point out that an apparent discrepancy exists in the contract for the conveyance of immigrants, Ac, to New Zealand as to the quantity of preserved soup to be shipped and to be issued to each child. The quantity of coal originally taken on board was seventy-five tons, which is certainly not more than is required to keep the condenser working in accordance with the regulations. What amount was consumed on the first voyage, and during the refitting of the vessel, we have no means of ascertaining; but great neglect occurred in not making up the deficiency before commencing the second voyage.