Lif
3.
But in the course of the enquiry it further appeared that the ship leaked much on the voyage and came out very hogged, having leaked badly on the topsides. There were 8 South Sea Islanders on board. The Ship was found to be very defective in the deck so that she was "hogged, and altogether unfit for the conveyance of passengers" - that the between decks were dark and ill-ventilated - the only openings being the main and fore hatchways; that there were neither wind sails nor code of signals on board - that neither the master nor the second mate (there was no first mate) held Certificates of competency, and that the crew was inadequate, consisting of only 4 Europeans.
The ship was chartered by a Chinese Firm in Hongkong, and the mortality on the voyage is attributed by the Immigration Agent at Melbourne to the bad quality of the provisions put on board by Messrs.
4. In answer to these statements the Starbour Master at Hongkong - who is also Emigration Officer - produced a certificate from Mr. Murdo, a Government Surveyor, to the effect that he had examined the Dayspring and found that she was "sound, and in every way fit to convey passengers to Australia".