§ MR. LAIRDsaid, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, By whose orders 200 Emigrants from the Helvetia, a ship infected with Asiatic Cholera, were removed from that vessel late in the evening of Tuesday the 8th instant, and placed in the Government Emigration Depot at the Birkenhead Docks, there being in that depot at the time 400 healthy Emigrants waiting to embark, why the local authorities at Birkenhead were not communicated with before these Emigrants from an infected vessel were sent to the depot; if Her Majesty's Government are aware that within four hours after the arrival of the 200 Emigrants at the depôt Asiatic Cholera broke out; that up to the 15th instant 1147 eight deaths had occurred; and that twelve of the Emigrants are now suffering under an attack of Cholera; and what steps, if any, have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in reference to the use of the Emigration Depot for such purposes?
MR. H. A. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that the Government had been informed that the emigrants from the Helvetia were removed to the Emigration Depot at Birkenhead by order of the Mayor of Liverpool. That depot was not the property of the Emigration Board, but was occasionally used by them to house their emigrants. It appeared that 200 emigrants were sent from the Helvetia to that depot which was a very large one, containing a mess room and dormitories capable of accommodating 400 persons. At the time those emigrants were removed to the depot there were 400 other emigrants in the depot, but the latter were sent upstairs to the dormitories and next morning they were removed to their ship, and had since left. There was no reason to suppose that they had suffered from the 200 other emigrants having been for so brief a period in the depot with them. With regard to the latter, the cholera soon after broke out amongst them, and the number of cases was as stated in the Question of the hon. Gentleman. But he (Mr. H. A. Bruce) was happy to say that the last report was more favourable, as no more deaths were mentioned nor new cases, while the cases of those who were suffering from the disease were reported upon favourably. The depot would continue to be employed as at present. He was unable to say whether the Birkenhead authorities were communicated with before the emigrants were removed to the depot.