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captain's gratuity of £25 bo withheld, and that a similar amount be deducted from that payable to the surgeon, whom they cannot recommend for further employment. J. T. Rouse. Lyttelton, 15th March, 1879. J. E. March. I was present at the inquiry, and concur in the last paragraph of this report. H. Macdonald, M.D.

Enclosure 2 in No. 35. Minutes of Proceedings of Inquiry into Selling of Spirits by the Captain of the Ship " Boyne." Minutes of proceedings of an inquiry held on board the ship " Boyne," on Friday, 14th March, 1879, to investigate a charge preferred by the Surgeon-superintendent (in his report) against the Captain, of selling spirits to the emigrants during the passage. Present: Dr. Rouse (Chairman), Dr. Macdonald, and Mr. J. E. March, Immigration Commissioners. Captain Kelly, Dr. Reed, Surgeonsuperintendent, and Mr. Skinner, chief officer, were in attendance. Dr. Rouse stated the reason why the inquiry was held, although no mention was made at the time of the inspection of anything improper taking place on board during the passage. It was not until after the Commissioners had received tho Surgeon-superintendent's report that they were first acquainted with the circumstances. The charge preferred against the captain and officers of the ship was contained in the surgeon's report, and was as follows : — " General Conduct of the Officers. —In the first place I feel it my duty to complain of the sale, by Captain Kelly, of spirits —such as gin, whisky, and rum —and this, of course, accounts for the cases of drunkenness "which have occurred amongst the passengers ; and spirits has found its way to the single women. I used my best endeavours to convince the captain it was a great mistake, but, the sale still continuing, I wrote him an official letter, but received no written reply. (Vide diary, 23rd January; 2nd, 6th, 11th, and 115 th February.) The matron reported the first officer, Mr. Skinner, for passing down rum-and-milk to Elizabeth Memory, and with holding a conversation with her through the watercloset ventilator on the poop. (Vide diary, 21st and 16th February.) I have, therefore, not received that amount of support from the officers of the ship which I was entitled to expect; and Mr. Reed, the second mate, has told me that he is not paid for looking after emigrants, and therefore does not consider it his duty. (Vide diary, 6th February.)" On receipt of this report the Immigration Officer had written to Captain Kelly, and also to tho chief officer, and the following replies had been received : — " Christchurch, 13th March, 1879. —Gentlemen, —In reply to your letter of 11th March, requesting to be informed if spirits were sold on board my ship, I respectfully state that previous to doing so I informed Dr. Reed, and asked if he had any objections to me selling my small lot of spirits ; if so, I would not dispose of any ; but he agreeably consented, and with his full knowledge spirits were sold, Dr. Reed proposing to sell by the glass, in order to guard against intoxication. To bis letter, 22nd January, I considered no reply necessary, as it was forwarded when my stores were done. lam pained to think that this matter should be found necessary to call up, after the very warm and most friendly manner all the immigrants parted from the " Boyne," all of thorn conveying to me their expressions of gratitude in many forms, to myself in particular ; and, as the class of immigrants were from those sections of people at home that are often found troublesome, I prize their feelings of friendship more highly. The wines and spirits came on board at Plymouth, and then I was only aware of the great displeasure I should incur by disposing of them. As I have been very largely employed in the passenger trade, carrying 400 to 1,200 persons per month, on a voyage averaging thirty-four days, I have always found the sale of spirits allowed on board by Board of Trade officers. —I am, &c, John Kelly, Master of ship 'Boyne,' of London.—To the Immigration Commissioners." "Ship 'Boyne,' 12th March, IS79.—Gentlemen, —Having received your letter this morning referring to Dr. Reed's report to you of my conduct during the passage in passing spirits down to the single women, and likewise failing to give him that support to which he was entitled; with regard to the first complaint: I solemnly deny that I, on any one occasion, passed spirits down to the single women ; and I can assure you that this complaint is entirely without foundation, as Dr. Reed cannot possibly showany proofs for this assertion. Referring to my not giving him the amount of support he was entitled to expect, I will leave it to you, gentlemen, to decide whether I did or not. I will quote two instances where, but for my support, serious results might have occurred, while Dr. Reed was lying apparently stupefied on one occasion while the colic was prevalent amongst the single women. Having charge of the deck, I was attracted by screams of agony coming from the single women's compartment. Hearing the matron calling out, I went to the hatch, when she implored me to call the doctor, as one of the girls was attacked with violent cramp. I immediately went to his cabin and endeavoured, by every means in my power, to arouse him ; but all I could get him to say was, ' Has not the matron got any brandy ?' I still persevered in shaking him, and thirty-five minutes elapsed before I could get him out. The circumstance is inserted in the ship's log-book, to which you can refer, if necessary. The other instance was of a similar nature, only I was obliged to call the captain as my attempts to arouse him were ineffectual, as the case required immediate attention, it being a woman in the pains of labour. These are but two instances of the many cases in which, had 1 been neglecting my duty in supporting him, serious consequences might have ensued ; and in the latter instance the child was born before he arrived at the hospital. And now, gentlemen, having, I hope satisfactorily, explained the matters referred to in your letter, —I have, &c, T. Skinner, First Officer, ship 'Boyne.' —To the Immigration Commissioners." The Chairman said he would first call ou Dr, Reed to substantiate his charge, and to reply to the letter he had just read.