47

D.—2

Enclosure 2 in No. 29. Messrs. Mackbell and Co. to the Agent-Geneeal. Re Surgeons for Emigrant Ships. Dear Sir Julius, —■ 21, Cannon Street, London, 10th February, 1877. In compliance with your instructions we have investigated as far as possible, first, the extent to which Mr. Moore's services as a medical agent have been used; and secondly, the insinuations as to his having shared his commission with clerks in the office of the Agent-General. We learn from Mr. Ottywell that the appointment of surgeons to emigrant ships was managed in the department under his charge, but under the direction of the Agent-General, Mr. Carter acting when Mr. Ottywell was absent. A book was kept in which were entered the names and addresses of surgeons applying for appointments, but until about February, 1874 this register was not kept upon any regular system. All the papers relating to each application were, however, put together, and with them was afterwards put any further correspondence which took place. When it was required to appoint a surgeon, the applications and other documents were considered. In considering the application of a surgeon who had already been employed, the official reports as to the discharge of his duties and as to the general circumstances of the voyage were also carefully examined and considered. The fittest man was then selected for the appointment, having regard to any special requirements of the case, the selection being made sometimes by and otherwise with the approval of the Agent-General. It sometimes, however, happened that the Agent-General was away from town, and Mr. Ottywell then acted on his own responsibility. The total number of ships despatched with emigrants to which surgeons were appointed by the Agent-General's department since Dr. Nesbitt's appointment to the " Queen Bee" in July, 1872, appears to be no less than 224, and of these surgeons fifteen only appear to have been introduced by Mr. Moore, whose house first became known to the department in connection with emigration to Canterbury, and these fifteen were appointed to twenty-one of these ships. Mr. Ottywell was, as you are aware, in charge of emigration as Agent of the Province of Canterbury for some years prior to the appointment of Dr. Featherston as Agent-General for the colony, and we further learn from him that the business of Mr. Moore's house had been for many years carried on by Mr. Moore's father or uncle, upon whose death it was continued by the present Mr. Moore; and that in the late Mr. Moore's lifetime the house supplied the medicine chests for the ships despatched with emigrants to Canterbury until about ten years ago, when it was considered desirable to have the medicines from the Apothecaries' Company. The first contract made, however, by Dr. Featherston with Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., iv 1872, did not provide that the medicine chests should be obtained from the Apothecaries' Company, and Mr. Ottywell believes Mr. Moore supplied a number of medicine chests to Messrs. Shaw, Savill, aud Co.'s ships despatched under this contract. In addition to the business of a wholesale druggist, the late Mr. Moore carried on business as a medical agent, which was also continued by his son, and the house was a well-known medium for recommending surgeons for passenger ships, for, having a considerable business in supplying medical stores to passenger ships, and being thus brought into contact with shipowners, they had special facilities for acquiring information as to vacant appointments for surgeons ; and as they advertised themselves as medical agents, they had frequent applications from surgeons seeking medical appointments. Sometimes Mr. Moore called at the Agent-General's office and recommended a surgeon personally, and sometimes he did so by letter. Of his letters of recommendation in the office, the following may be given as a fair specimen:—" This is to introduce Dr. A. P. Hamilton, whom I can strongly recommend to one of your ships. He has been twenty years under the Poor Law Board, and has had great experience." Only one press copy of any letter to him appears amongst the office papers, of which the following is a copy : — " Dear Sir.— " 7, Westminster Chambers, 16th March, 1875. " A vacancy has just occurred for a surgeon to the ship ' Forfarshire,' to embark emigrants for Auckland to-morrow (Wednesday). Do you know any gentleman whom you can recommend, and who would be willing to fill this post? The number engaged to proceed iv this vessel is 217 statute adults. " I am, &c, "A. O. Ottywell. " J. Moore, Esq." " (for I. E. Featherston). It appears that in this case Mr. Moore did not find a surgeon, but Dr. Gilmour, who had previously been employed by the office, was appointed. In no case was Mr. Moore ever intrusted with the appointment of a surgeon. Formal appointments were always made and signed by or on behalf of the Agent-General, and transmitted direct to the persons appointed, accompanied with proper instructions. AYe append hereto one of the lithographed forms used in making these appointments, together with a lithograph of the instructions which usually accompanied it. Mr. Ottywell states that in times past they have found the services of a medical agent extremely useful, and he instanced a case where a surgeon highly recommended had been appointed to his second ship, but Dr. Featherston, on visiting the ship at Gravesend, found him not sober, and having immediately discharged him, was enabled, by applying to Mr. Moore to get a suitable surgeon introduced immediately,-aud thus saved having to pay demurrage on the ship ; and it appears that some of the best surgeons in the service of the Government were introduced by Mr. Moore. Mr. Kennaway has given us the following memorandum upon the subject of the appointment of surgeons since he has been in office: —" I do not remember being concerned at any time in the appointment of any surgeon introduced through Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore came to my office a few months ago, but, as far as I remember, our conversation related to the providing of drugs to the ships, but it was of a general character, and he made no definite proposal. I do not remember having seen him either before or after that time. In November last, having to obtain two surgeons for two short ships, and finding some difficulty, there being only a small number (about thirty) of emigrants in each vessel, intimation was made to Mr. Moore that a surgeon was wanted, and a young man was sent to the office by him, but he was not appointed. Since my coming to the office in January, 1875, the number of surgeons who had already been on emigrant ships despatched by the