430

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

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 continued,
and as you are aware it is without 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.-I 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 communi-
cation at the water-closet ventilator, and that Mr.
Skinner acknowledged both these facts to me after-
wards. 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. With 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 imme-
diately, 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 immi-
grants."

Captain Kelly: I do 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-superinten-
dents?-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 acknowledged 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 circum-
stance 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 my 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 on 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 con-
stable 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 diarrhea nearly the whole
voyage, and I took regularly every night the pill
opii, commencing with one grain of opium and in-
creasing to two grains or more. I took this as
medicine, and not to quiet me. When I am at sea
I suffer from diarrhea always, and find it necessary
to take medicine.

In reply to the Chairman, the surgeon said:
Whenever I asked Mr. Skinner to do anything he
did it, and never in any way encouraged insubordi-
nation amongst the immigrants.

The Chief Officer said: I deny holding any con-
versation 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., } Commis-
J. E. MARCH. } sioners.

Tenders.

Public Works Office,
Wellington, 25th March, 1879.

THE following list of successful and unsuccessful
tenderers is published for general information.

J. MACANDREW,
Minister for Public Works.

KAIPARA-PUNIU RAILWAY (INLAND ROUTE).—
WAITAKEREI CONTRACT.

Accepted.
Taylor and Danagher, Auckland ... 36,601 5 2

Declined.
Cameron and Briton, Auckland ... 37,712 0 0
W. Rowe, Wanganui ... 38,400 0 0
Larkin and O'Brian, Auckland ... 39,117 11 4
D. McKinnon and M. Maclean, Auckland ... 47,070 10 0
D. Ross, Auckland ... 51,104 0 0

(COASTAL ROUTE) WAITEMATA CONTRACT.

Declined.
Taylor and Danagher, Auckland ... 37,944 1 8
Cameron and Briton, Auckland ... 37,467 0 0
W. Rowe, Wanganui ... 40,423 0 0
Larkin and O'Brian, Auckland ... 46,141 4 9
D. McKinnon and M. Maclean, Auckland ... 44,465 11 1