8

D.—la,

No. 4. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 177.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 26th June, 1874. Herewith I forward copies of the following documents relative to the ship " Scimitar," which arrived at Port Chalmers upon the sth March, 1874 : — 1. Report of Immigration Commissioners. 2. Certified List of Births and Deaths. I address you relative to this ship in a separate letter, covering report of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the origin of the outbreak of infectious disease during the passage. I have, &c, Julius Vogel. The Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

Enclosure in No. 4. Report by Immigbation Commissionebs on " Scimitar." Sir,— Dunedin, 26th March, 1874. We have the honor to report that the ship " Scimitar," Captain Eox, arrived from London on the sth instant, with Government immigrants, having made a splendid passage of seventy days. On our going alongside we found that measles and scarlet fever prevailed on the passage, and that twenty-six deaths occurred. The ship was thereupon placed in quarantine, and the Board of Health communicated with as to future proceedings. The ship having been admitted to pratique on the 18th instant, we minutely inspected every compartment of the ship, and found her both well fitted and well ventilated : indeed, we have seen very few ships equal to her for carrying passengers, her 'tween-decks being 8 feet 6 inches in height. We made the following notes : — Single Women's Compartment. —Bunks fore and aft. Ventilation by three side scuttles and shaft through deck. Compartment very clean and well kept. Married People's Compartment. —Bunks fore and aft. Compartment ventilated by twenty side scuttles, four shafts from deck, and main hatch. Compartment evidently well kept. Single Men's Compartment. —Bunks fore and aft. Ventilation by eight side scuttles, two ventilators through deck, and two hatchways. The compartment was clean and comfortable. The surgery and lying-in hospital occupied a part of the poop ; and the fever and other hospitals were on the main deck. The condenser was in good order, and condensed 800 gallons of water in every twenty-four hours. The galley also was quite equal to the requirements of the passengers. We believe that both Captain Pox, his officers, and Dr. Hosking, the surgeon-superintendent, used every effort to add to the comfort of the immigrants in the trying circumstances in which they were placed by having had so much sickness on the voyage. The whole of the immigrants without one exception expressed themselves as fully satisfied with their treatment. We recommend that the usual gratuities be paid to the surgeon-superintendent, the captain, and officers of the ship. We have, &c, Colin Allan, ~) Wm. Thomson, > Commissioners. David O'Donnoghue, ) His Honor the Superintendent, Otago.

No. 5. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 180.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 29th June, 1874. I forward herewith copies of the following documents relative to the " La Hogue," which vessel arrived at Port Nicholson upon May 26th ultimo. (1.) Eeport of Immigration Commissioners. (2.) Memorandum by the Surgeon-Superintendent, addressed to the Commissioners. (3.) Certified List of Births and Deaths during the voyage. 2. The report of the Commissioners is in all essential matters confined to the bringing prominently under notice of the Government, the very important information derived from the surgeonsuperintendent, Dr. Russell, and the suggestions contained in his memorandum. I shall therefore make this latter document the basis of the remarks I have to make regarding the despatch of the ship, and the general arrangements on board of her with regard to the emigrants. 3. The medical examination of the emigrants appears to have been, as usual, of a very superficial character. Dr. Russell, speaking of the death of an adult from phthisis, observes that " the cause is suggestive. Is any medical examination undergone by emigrants, or can a medical practitioner be found so ignorant or so culpable as to certify a phthisical invalid healthy?" Ido not comment further upon the subject, as I have addressed you by this mail upon the necessity of a thorough reform in the present system of medical examination, in my letter enclosing the report of the Royal Commission upon the " Scimitar,"