§ Mr. RAFFANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the steamship "Irishman," belonging to the White Star Company, which left Liverpool for Australia on 13th September, has now arrived at her destination, or whether she is now in quarantine, and, if so, where; whether any complaints have been received as to the quality of provisions and drinking water supplied to passengers; whether any epidemic has occurred during the voyage; and, if so, whether any deaths of passengers, particularly children, can be traced to such epidemic?
Mr. BUXTONI am informed that the steamship "Irishman" arrived at Adelaide on 2nd November, and sailed from Sydney on her homeward voyage on 4th December. We have received from my hon. Friend a complaint as to the provisions and water supplied to the passengers, and this is being investigated. The owners state that on arrival at Adelaide nineteen children suffering from measles and two from whooping cough were removed to the Adelaide Hospital, and that they have been informed by cable that six children have since succumbed. There were five deaths on board the steamer, of which one was from pertussis, one from congenital heart disease, and one from gangrene of the lung. The other two cases have been reported by cable to the owners as due to-causes other than measles.