Land
"(the beef) was not very well preserved in the first instance".
The only other luopian witnesses were the Emigration Agent at Dunedin and the House Surgeon of the Dunedin Hospital. The former says that no complaint was made to him of the character of the food. The latter describes the people who were sent to hospital as in a state of extreme weakness and ravenous for food. Both these witnesses express an opinion that the dietary is insufficient.
6. The conclusion which appears to me most probable is that suggested in the evidence of Hennefy, the storekeeper, that the beef and fish appeared good when put on board, but, having been imperfectly preserved, became bad soon after the ship sailed. How far this implies a want of skill or care on the part of those who examined them it is not easy to decide. But from the deficiency in these articles and the extreme length of the voyage, it is not surprising that the people should have been half-starved before they arrived at Dunedin. Mr. Thomortt proposes an alteration of the Dietary scale which does not increase the quantity, but provides an alternative on certain days for fresh preserved meat - beef, pork, or fish - and of fresh vegetables.
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