17

Zealand, and that she underwent a thorough cleansing and painting throughout down to the Kelson before she was laid on.

Her height between decks and the relative proportion of passengers and crew to her tonnage, we find on the testimony of the Captain, confirmed by the Immigration Agent of this Province (Captain Parsons) to have been in conformity with the requirements of the Passengers’ Act. Indeed, so far from there having been any excess of persons on board, the berths were of larger dimensions than are required by that Act.

The testimony of the Surgeon, (Mr. Hillyard, member of the College of Surgeons, of Dublin,) went to prove that the supply of medicines and medical stores, though less than was actually required, was, in his judgment, as much as would have sufficed under ordinary circumstances. The deficiency, however, he reports, was supplied out of the chest and stores of the Captain, and he distinctly avers that no ill consequences resulted from his own short supply.

From Mr. Hillyard’s evidence, confirmed by the Captain, it would also appear that due diligence was shown by the Surgeon in the discharge of his duties. The cabins in which sickness occurred are represented as having from time to time been ventilated and cleansed with disinfectants, of which the supply appears to have been very liberal. It appears that after every death the clothes and bedding of the deceased person were thrown overboard—that the bedding of all the passengers was had on deck throughout the passage, two or three times a week, as the weather would permit. Great attention appears to have been paid to the state of the water closets, the statements both of the Captain and the Medical Officer being that they were cleansed "two or three times a day."

The Surgeon refers the introduction of the fever that prevailed to the admission of a passenger, Mrs. Hurrell. When the passengers were inspected by the Government Medical Inspector at Gravesend, that officer did not consider her sufficiently ill to be removed. The early cases of fever appear not to have proved fatal, and the disease abated till about the middle of November, when it re-appeared, assuming a low typhoid type, and between thence and the arrival of the ship in Lyttelton harbor, 20 persons were attacked, of whom four died.

Such are the leading facts elicited by our inquiry. We have the honor to append a copy of the evidence of the Captain and the Surgeon.

After a careful consideration of all the facts, the Committee are of opinion that no blame attaches either to those who provided the ship or to the officers on whom the care of the ship and passengers devolved.

On the contrary (and they feel it to be only fair to the parties concerned to direct your Honor’s attention to the fact) the passengers have all borne testimony to the skill, diligence, and kindness of both the Captain and the Surgeon throughout the passage.

In concluding this report your committee feel it to be their duty to call the attention of your Honor to the necessity, as shown by this inquiry, of having some building set apart in some isolated spot, where persons who may arrive from other parts of the world with infectious or contagious diseases may be placed. In the case we have had the honor to report upon, the Colonial Surgeon was compelled either to direct the vessel to be quarantined, to the danger of all on board, or to remove the diseased persons into the Hospital at the manifest risk, more or less, of the general population.

In the present case the fever has not manifested a very malignant or contagious character, and no serious apprehensions are warranted. But on another occasion it may be otherwise. The disease imported may be Small pox, endangering the lives of the Maori population; or Cholera endangering those of the whole community.

We have the honor to be,

Your Honor’s most obedient servants,

Joseph Brittan,
(Provincial Secretary).

John Parsons,
(Immigration Agent).

Wm. Donald,
(Colonial Surgeon).

January 19th, 1856.

PRINTED BY J. WILLIS, AT THE "STANDARD" OFFICE, CHRISTCHURCH.