Our sincere thanks to Gary & Brenda Anderson for this information.

ARRIVAL OF THE GOLDEN SEA
Wellington Independent May 2nd 1874

The English ship, which was signalled on Thursday evening off the Heads, turned out to be the Golden Sea, from London, and not the Wennington as was generally supposed. At seven o'clock yesterday morning, the signalman was hard at work, and it was soon found that Pilot Holmes had taken the vessel into quarantine, bringing her up under Somes' Island. Her number having been made out, and her name deciphered from the code, the Health and Immigration Officers, Dr Johnson, Captain Holliday, and Mr Huntly Eliott, sailed down to the Island shortly after 10 o'clock, and were immediately afterwards followed by a boat-load of fresh provisions despatched for the use of the immigrants by the agents of the vessel, Messrs Levin and Co. From the accounts brought back by the Harbour Master's boat, the following summary is gleaned:--The ship Golden Sea, 1418 tons register, Captain Strachan, sailed from London with 368 immigrants in all, equal to 301 statute adults, on the 21st January last, and left Gravesend finally on the 28th. She had a fair run down the Channel, and generally speaking the voyage was signally uneventful. Moderate weather prevailed during the whole time, without either long calms or heavy gales of wind. About three weeks ago a brig-rigged steamer was sighted, supposed to be making for Melbourne or Sydney, but the two vessels did not approach sufficiently close to be able to speak to each other. The Golden Sea came round Stewart's Island, the southerly breezes which have prevailed along the coast during the last few days having materially aided her in her run up the coast. She was in sight of the signal station at 5 p.m. on Thursday, and took the pilot on board at 8 p.m., who brought her right in with the fair breeze, and dropped anchor inside Somes Island at 11.30 p.m. thus making the time occupied in the voyage from London to Wellington exactly 100 days. The Golden Sea is, as her tonnage indicates, a large vessel, being about the same register as the Douglass. She is, however, short comparatively, her length not much exceeding 200 feet; but she has considerable beam, and is altogether very well adapted for carrying immigrants. She is rather an old vessel, having been built at Quebec ten years ago for the Indian trade. She was afterwards sent to England, where she was chartered by Shaw, Savill, and Co. to bring out immigrants to New Zealand. Captain Strachan, who is in command of her, is not unknown to immigration officers, he having come out to Otago once or twice as chief officer or in charge of an emigrant ship. The surgeon superintendent, Dr Donaldson, is the only cabin passenger. The agents are Messrs Levin and Co. The voyage has not been without the now inevitable story of disease on board. Not very long after the ship was on the high seas, symptoms of some contagious disease began to show themselves among the children, which eventually proved to be moderately severe types of scarlatina and scarlet fever. Twelve of the children were in turn attacked by it, of whom eight succumbed before the arrival of the ship. One poor little child now lies in almost hopeless state, and the others are convalescent. Six other children were also attacked by natural ailments incidental to infancy; and of these four fell victims, and two are convalescent. The summary of the disease is therefore eighteen cases and twelve deaths, with one case almost hopeless, the rest convalescent. There were no cases amongst the adult portion, and Dr Donaldson had pretty well succeeded in stamping out the contagion before the arrival of the ship; there was quite sufficient sickness on board, however, to induce the pilot to take her straight to the quarantine station, and it is probable that some few days may elapse before she is released, and the immigrants brought over to the town. They express themselves generally satisfied with the voyage and the treatment they have received, and speak well of the doctor and captain. There will probably, however, be some little disputes which will have to be settled about things which have occurred on the voyage out; but no personal communication with those on board being allowable, it is impossible to say for certain until opportunity is afforded for mixing with and enquiring amongst the people themselves as to the voyage and its events.

Before dark last night a considerable number of the immigrants had been safely landed, and to-morrow will probably see them all comfortably located in the barracks, which are perfectly ready to receive them, the immigration officer having been over at the island and set everything in complete order only the afternoon on which the ship was signalled. According to quarantine regulations, no direct communication can take place from the land with the ship until she is admitted to pratique; and therefore the wiseacres who have been sowing rumours about our new visitors, can have very little ground to go upon. Whether good or bad, it is only fair that they should be seen and examined, before all sorts of impossible judgments are passed on them. It is a pity to prejudice people beforehand against the servants and so on they may be expecting, and predispose minds to think ill of them. They will be alongside the wharf in a few days, when there will be plenty of opportunity for judging what they are. It is not unlikely that the Wennington will arrive before the Golden Sea is admitted to pratique, in which case there will be over 600 immigrants to choose from all at once.
On board the Golden Sea, when she sailed from London, were 368 souls, equal to 301 statute adults; the names, numbers, ages, sizes, and sexes of which are all given in full, with a few clerical errors, in the "European Mail" of February 10. Summarised, there are 60 married couples and families, comprising 242 souls; of these fourteen are without encumbrances, six have one encumbrance, eighteen have two encumbrances, eleven have three, three have four, three have five, two have seven, and one has nine encumbrances, the number of children under twelve years of age being about 110. There are only eight single women set down in the "Mail", but a number of those included in the list of families are also available as single women. There are about 100 single men, and to this class the same remark applies.
The following summary represents approximately the trades and occupations of the immigrants:--Married couples without children--3 laborers, 1 bricklayer, 1 carpenter, 1 engineman, 1 stonemason. Married couples with children--10 laborers, 4 farm laborers, 1 painter, 1 engine driver, 1 lighterman, 1 gardener, 1 bricklayer, 1 platelayer, 1 tailor, 3 bootmakers, 5 carpenters, 1 cabinet maker. Single men--30 laborers, 3 painters, 4 bakers, 4 carpenters, 1 dairyman, 1 brickmaker, 1 fitter, 1 gasfitter, 1 butcher, 2 bootmakers, 2 tailors, 3 engineers, 4 bricklayers, 3 coopers, 1 printer, 2 blacksmiths, 10 farm laborers, 3 plumbers, 2 gardeners, 5 ironworkers, 1 platelayer, 1 tinman, 1 wheelwright, 2 firemen. Single women--4 general servants, 2 nursemaids, 1 cook, 3 young girls. Applications to engage these immigrants should be made to Mr Redward, at the Immigration Depot, Wellington; and any of them who are engaged for the country districts of the Province will be forwarded by the Immigration Department.

ARRIVAL OF THE GOLDEN SEA
Wellington Independent May 4th 1874

Captain Strachan, of the ship Golden Sea, furnishes the following report of his voyage: --Sailed from the river Thames on Saturday, 24th January; cleared the Channel on the 29th. In 38deg north, 20deg west, on the 5th and 6th February, experienced a strong gale from the southward. Passed Madeira 10th February; crossed the Equator on the 25th February. In crossing the region of the south-east trades, had light winds from east to north-east. On the 1st of April, passed between Prince Edward's Island and Marion Islands; on the 4th April, passed Possession Island, and ran our easting down in latitude 48.30 south; passed the Snares on the 26th April, Otago on the 27th. Experienced light southerly winds all up the coast, and anchored in Wellington on the 30th April at 11 p.m.

FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ARRIVAL OF THE GOLDEN SEA

Wellington Independent May 8th 1874
The Manawatu will proceed to Somes Island on Saturday and receive the Wanganui portion of the Golden Sea’s immigrants (some 100 people), sailing for Wanganui immediately afterwards.

Wellington Independent May 16, 1874
Considerably more than half of the immigrants who arrived at Wanganui by the Manawatu on Sunday have been engaged, and the remainder are going off rapidly. The "Herald" of Wednesday says:--The remarks which we made on Monday about their being a very superior lot, have been fully borne out by their conduct during the time they have been in barracks. They have been orderly, well-conducted, and temperature, the officer in charge not having had to find any fault with any fo them. Should future arrivals equal these, Wanganui at least will not have to find fault with the selections made by the Agent-General.

Wellington Independent May 20th 1874
News of the location of the immigrants by the Golden Sea at Wanganui, Foxton and Feilding is encouraging. The demand existing was sufficient to absorb all the supply at wages considerably above rates ruling at home. The immigrants express themselves as very favorably impressed with the districts in which they have been settled, where the natural resources of the country lie in plenitude at their feet, and where they see many of their predecessors in other ships either comfortably installed in farmsteads of their own, or as dependents, earning wages sufficient to supply them with every necessity. There are now only a few Golden Sea people left unengaged.

Wanganui Chronicle May 11th 1874
THE IMMIGRANTS – The p.s. ‘Manawatu’ arrived between 6 and 7 o’clock last night, with the immigrants by the ‘Golden Sea.’ They were not quite so numerous as was expected, the list showing but 73 � statute adults. There are only two single women amongst the number. There are two carpenters, three shoemakers, two painters, one gardener, one cooper, two bricklayers, one butcher, one fitter, one blacksmith, one hammerman, one ironworker, one wheelwright, one broker, one dairyman, nine farm labourers, fifteen labourers, and one "navvy." The employment of a few of the immigrants is undescribed. They were all taken on board the p.s. ‘Manawatu’ at Somes’s Island, where the ‘Golden Sea’ has been lying in quarantine, and were at first under the impression that they were to be landed at Wellington. It was not until the ‘Manawatu’ cleared the Heads that they became aware that her destination was Wanganui, and some amusement was caused in consequence. Our new friends will find no reason to regret the change. Mr Orbell notifies by advertisement that engagements may be made with these people at 11 o’clock this morning at the Immigration Office, Taupo Quay, and also that fresh applications will be received for immigrants expected to arrive per "La Hogue."

Wanganui Chronicle May 12th 1874
IMMIGRATION – Twenty-nine of the ‘Golden Sea’ immigrants, of various occupations, were engaged yesterday, although the weather was bad enough to deter anybody from going to the barracks or elsewhere out of doors unless compelled by necessity. The Immigration Officer expects that the remainder will speedily obtain employment. The behaviour of these immigrants, since their landing, has been of the most praiseworthy character; and altogether they seem to be a superior class of people, and a decided acquisition to the place.

Wanganui Chronicle May 15th 1874
IMMIGRANTS. – The whole of the immigrants, with the exception of two married couples and two single men, have found employment in their various occupations at the following scale of wages:-- Farm labourers, per week and found �1 to �1 5s; lads 8s to 14s; married couples, for hotels, &c., �1 10s; waiters, �1; painters, �2 2s; dairymen, �1; navvies and labourers, not found 6s to 8s per day; carpenters, 9s; bricklayers, 10s; wheelwrights, 11s; tailors, from �3 to �4 per week. Mr Orbell is expecting a large number more to arrive per ‘La Hogue’ and ‘Wennington,’ both now due in Wellington. Great disappointment is felt at the non-arrival of sufficient female general servants, who are in great demand here at present. Mr Orbell has informed us that the immigrants per ‘Golden Sea’ are giving every satisfaction.