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James Reed, Surgeon-superintendent, said : With regard to the captain's reply about the sale of spirits, I did, after several times being pressed, consent to the sale, provided tho spirits were drunk at the cabin door, and that not more than one wineglass should be allowed to one man. I superintended this myself, in the presence of the third mate ; but, the demand for spirits becoming so large, I foresaw the injurious consequences that would arise, and, therefore, withdrew my consent. The sale still continued, and, on one or two occasions of drunkenness occurring, I again represented the matter to the captain, and, finding it of no avail, I wrote the letter which you will find in my diary of 22nd January. The letter was as follows : " Ship ' Boyne,' 22nd January, 1879. —Captain Kelly, —Dear Sir, —I beg to remind you that the sale of spirits is still coutinued, and, as you are aware, it is w-itbout my consent, and much against my wishes. I therefore beg leave to state that I shall not hold myself responsible for any disturbance" that arises through it.—l am, &c, James Reed, Surgeon-superintendent, ship ' Boyne.' " To this letter I received no reply. Concerning Mr. Skinner's report, I can only say that the matron reported to me of the occurrence "of the rum-and-milk being passed down, and of the communication at the water-closet ventilator ; and that Mr. Skinner acknowledged both these facts to me afterwards. Concerning the charge mentioned first in the chief officer's letter, I may say that I had between fifteen and twenty of the single girls complaining of severe pains from colic, and that my time was fully occupied all day, and that on the day in question I did not leave the single women's compartment to go to bed till 3 a.m. AVith regard to the"second charge, it was her first case of confinement. I had seen the woman about 7 p.m. She did not know whether she was in labour or not, but I made arrangements to have her conveyed, with the nurse in attendance, to the lying-in hospital, if she thought it necessary. I retired that night at 10 p.m. She was not then in the hospital, and the first I heard of it was the call I had in the morning when in bed, between 6 and 7. Knowing it to be a first case I did not rise immediately, but at the expiration of fifteen minutes the nurse came to me, saying the child was partly in the world. I immediately attended, and delivered the woman of a living male child. The mother and child did well. That is all I have to say. Captain Kelly, in reply to the Chairman, said : I asked Dr. Reed merely once, if I could dispose of spirits, and then I did not sell any for some little time ; and finding from my attention being called by Dr. Reed to drunkenness having taken place amongst the passengers, I stopped the sale I should say for three weeks ; and from that period, up to receiving Dr. Reed's letter of 22nd January, spirits were not sold more than two or three nights out of six. The spirits sold were my own private stores, outside the ship altogether. I did not entirely cease the supply of liquors at Dr. Reed's request, but limited to two or three nights a week. The Chairman here read clause 62 of the Passenger Act, as follows : " If in any passenger ship any person shall, during the voyage, directly or indirectly, sell or cause to be sold any spirits or strong waters to any passenger, he shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds, nor less than five pounds sterling." The captain said he was not acquainted with it before he left Plymouth; he looked through the Passenger Act after leaving port. By Dr. Rouse: In the Government regulations did you notice the following?—" The captain is, therefore, on no account to sell or permit the sale of wines or malt liquors, or spirits, to the immigrants." Captain Kelly: Ido not remember noticing the paragraph in question. This is the first time I carried immigrants to New Zealand, but I have carried passengers. In the Atlantic passenger trade the sale of spirits is permitted. Dr. Reed was asked if he had noticed section 44, on page 15 of Instructions to Surgeon-super-intendents ?—He replied :" I did notice it. I have been out with immigrants before." Mr. Skinner said : I stated to the doctor that I never passed down rum-and-milk, nor spirits of any kind; I acknowledge that I passed down one cup of coffee. The conversation at the ventilator was with one of the single women accused of stealing money ; she asked me to intercede with the doctor, and I said I would, and I told the doctor of the circumstance on the following day. Dr. Reed said : After the matron had reported the circumstance to me I told the captain I should enter it in mv journal. Then Mr. Skinner came and spoke to me about it, and hoped I would not report it. I told him that as the matron had reported it to me, it was my duty to enter it in my journal, but I think I said I would not specially report it. Mr. Skinner continued : On several nights I had occasion to call the doctor, and in many instances he was required while I was on deck, and I had great trouble to get him to attend to the patients ;it was difficult to wake him. He wanted to see the constable on one occasion before he would go. The captain said his attention was never called to the surgeon objecting to attend. Dr. Reed said : I had diarrhcea nearly the whole voyage, and I took regularly every night the pill opii, commencing with one grain of opium, and increasing to two grains or more. I took this as medicine, and not to quiet me. When lam at sea I suffer from diarrhoea always, and find it necessary to take medicine. In reply to the Chairman, the surgeon said : AVhenever I asked Mr. Skinner to do anything he did it, and never in any way encouraged insubordination amongst the immigrants. The Chief Officer said: I deny holding any conversation with the immigrants through the ventilator, as reported ; I merely listened to a noise that was going on, and reported it to the captain. Captain Kelly said : I remember the circumstance. Dr. Reed said : There was no noise at the time ; the captain and myself were sitting in the cabin ; the captain went on the poop, and when he returned he told me Mr. Skinner was on his hands and knees, with his head over the ventilator, and was listening. The inquiry then closed. The Chairman stated the Commissioners would report to the Government. John T. Rouse, Chairman. H. Macdonald, M.D., 7 n ■ • J.E.March, ' j Commissioners.