D.—3

16

Whilst it affords us pleasure to find the whole body of immigrants eager to bear testimony to the attention of the captain and officers for the comfort they enjoyed during the voyage, it is with equal pleasure we can report that the captain and officers speak in favourable terms of the immigrants themselves, giving them an excellent character of cleanliness, cheerfulness, and general good behaviour. They appear to be of a useful class, well.selected, and likely to be serviceable to the colony. The " Adamant " made a good passage to Canterbury last year ; is a dry ship, and well calculated for carying emigrants; the arrangement for classifying the passengers well carried out; the various compartments clean and well ventilated; the bunks sufficiently roomy and fittings substantial; the supply of provisions ample and of good quality. The condenser has worked admirably, as it did according to the engineer's report during the previous voyage, being capable of supplying 750 gallons per diem. Of medical comforts and medicines there has been a sufficiency. The surgeon, however, has felt the want of many of those medicines which are now made up in proper doses and combinations ready for immediate administration. The difficulty of weighing out small doses of medicine for a number of cases in a gale of wind can be realized. We cordially indorse his suggestion, that a selection of these " coated granules" should form part of the supply of the medicine chests. We append the surgeon's report, and have much pleasure in recommending him for future employment, should he desire it. Several of the immigrants complain of a long detention at Gravesend, having had orders to present themselves five weeks before the vessel was ready to receive them. We have much pleasure in recommending all the officers for the usual gratuities. Leonaed Boor. James S. Ceoss. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration. C. Elliott.

No. 26. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 247.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 27th August, 1874. I have the honor to transmit herewith copy of a very satisfactory report by the Immigration Commissioners upon the " Reichstag," which vessel arrived in Port Nicholson upon the 6th instant. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 26. Immigeation Commissionebs' Repoet on Ship "Reichstag." Sic,— Wellington, 17th August, 1874. We have the honor to report the arrival of the ship " Reichstag," from Hamburg, on the 6th instant, with 2SO adult immigrants. Only one death occurred during the voyage, viz. a child from dropsy. On inspecting the vessel, we found the single women located under the poop. They had plenty of room, light, and ventilation in their compartment, and the hospital and water-closet were exceedingly good. The married people had the use of the after and main hatches. The entrances were built up like deck houses, and were a very great improvement on the flimsy booby hatches in the British ships which bring immigrants to this port. The berthing arrangements, however, were not so good as in the British ships, but the compartment was clean and sweet. The single men were comfortably located in the fore part of the ship. In fact, all the compartments were very comfortable, and this was to be attributed in a grea*", measure to the unusual height of the 'tween-decks in a vessel of the tonnage of the " Reichstag." The immigrants are a very fine body of people, aud contrast most favourably with recent shipments of cur own countrymen. They all expressed themselves in the highest terms of praise of the surgeon-superintendent and captain, not only to us, but in an address which was published in the local papers. In conclusion, we have to recommend the payment of all gratuities, and have to congratulate Captain Hanschild and Dr. Waterhart upon bringing the " Reichstag " into port in such admirable order, and especially on the fact of their having a lower death rate, so far as we are aware, than any vessel which has as yet arrived in the colony. We have, &c, Alexandeb Johnston, M.D. H. J. H. Eliott. His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. John Holliday.

No. 27. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 251.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 27th August, 1874. 1 have the honor to transmit herewith copies of the following documents relative to the ship " Peeress," which vessel arrived at Lyttelton upon the 23rd July ultimo : — 1^ Immigration Commissioners' report. 2. Report of Surgeon-Superintendent. 3. Certified list of births and deaths upon the voyage.