“The Christian McAusland from London, and the Palmerston from Hamburg, both with a large number of immigrants arrived at Otago Heads, the former on the 5th inst., and the latter on the 6th. On enquiry, the Health Officer learned that there was a case of scarlatina on board the Christian McAusland, and she was at once placed in quarantine. On the arrival of the Palmerston, it was found that a number of deaths from typhoid fever and scarlatina had occurred during the voyage, and that there was one patient still ill, supposed to be suffering from scarlatina. (This however was found a few days later to be a mistake). The vessel was therefore towed to an anchorage off the Heads Spit till admitted to pratique. As there is no housing accommodation on the small island, bunks for the single men have been fitted up in several lighters, which are moored off the island. Another case of scarlatina having been reported on Monday, the Health Board resolved to have lighters fitted up with sleeping apartments, and to take the whole of the Palmerston’s passengers to the spit, the lighters to be grounded at high water, and the people to have easy access to the shore, so that they could ramble about. Tents have also been provided for any ailing ones, so as to keep them apart from the healthy passengers. Everything is being done to check the disease, and make all our quarantine prisoners as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.” Otago Witness, 14 December 1872.
“.As regards the Palmerston, some of the passengers were removed to the quarantine hospital, and the remainder of the immigrants to lighters prepared for them off the small island vacated by the single men per Christian McAusland. But the doctor of the ship, after inspecting the accommodation provided in the lighters, disapproved of it, and the passengers becoming aware of the fact, and having every confidence in him, declined to take advantage of the hulk accommodation. The authorities then decided to allow the passengers to remain on board the ship till the end of the term of their imprisonment, with the exception of the family to which the person suffering from sickness belongs, and which has been removed to the best of the lighters. The Palmerston is well fitted up, clean, and comfortable, and all on board enjoy good health. The passengers get an unlimited supply of the best provisions, including bread, fresh meat, tea, sugar, butter, milk, vegetables, potatoes, barley and rice. The liberal dietary scale makes them somewhat reconciled to their lot.” Otago Witness, 21 December 1872.
