Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 886

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prevents my doing so at present, but to avoid losing time it is desirable that Mr. THомSETT should see the enclosed, and should explain how it is that neither he nor Dr. ADAMS appear to have inquired as to the mode in which the sick in Emigration Depôts were treated, or as to what became of them.

So far as I see at present both of them are seriously compromised in this matter. Let me have the Regulations under which the Emigration Depots have been placed— for the whole subject must be reported to the Secretary of State-as I am quite resolved not to allow the Executive, so far as I can help it, to be compromised by any irregular- ities in connection with emigration from this Colony.

I do not believe that anything worse than the scenes, reported as having occurred in the so-called Chinese hospital in the midst of this town, ever happened at Macao. It is here that there may be a distinction so far that with this Government to know the existence of such horrors is to ensure their immediate abolition; but the question why this Government was not earlier apprised of them must be referred to Mr. THOMSETT and answered by him.

It may be true, as mentioned in one of my minutes within, that the sick being removed from the Depôts visited by Mr. THOMSETT and Dr. ADAMS, they never actually saw sick emigrants in the Emigration Depôts and never witnessed any ill- treatment or neglect of them.

No person, however, can peruse the Ordinance (No. 12 of last year) passed after very serious deliberation, and read the very extensive powers conferred thereby on the Emigration Officer (sections 6 and 7) and on the Medical Inspecting Officer (sections 9 and 10) without acknowledging that nothing but a very small and limited survey of their duties could have prevented either or both those officers looking after "the comfort and well-being" of the intending emigrants so far as to inquire what became of the sick, for they must have known there were sick, and should bave recollected that such unfortunate persons were friendless strangers and penniless here.

It seems to me therefore that the question, why the evils reported by Mr. STEWART and Mr. LISTER were not sooner discovered by the Emigration and Medical Officers is a question very seriously affecting those gentlemen and which must be very fully replied to.

R. G. McD.

(Report by the Harbour Master.)

I have perused the enclosed correspondence and will firstly reply to my action with respect to the supervision of Emigration Depôts as required by section 7 of Ordinance 12 of 1868. When emigrants for Surinam began collecting here, Messrs. D. R. CALDWELL and J. BAAK, the former a person possessing an intimate knowledge of everything Chinese, and the latter the Agent for Dutch Guiana, informed me as to the position of the various Depôts. I inspected them occasionally, but more with a view to seeing that no fraud was being practised towards the Chinese, and that they knew distinctly and clearly the terms on which they were to emigrate. In none of my visits did I see any sick persons, and I should have been surprised had I found any, as persons engaged recruiting emigrants know full well that none but strong and healthy men are accepted. Had I seen or heard of any requiring medical treatment, I should have directed their removal to the Civil Hospital, as until the recent inquiry I was in ignorance of the existence of the so-called Chinese hospital.

It appears to have been extensively circulated on the mainland that Mr. CALDWELL would guarantee that the emigration was bonâ fide and strictly fair. The result of this