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Arrival of the 'WAIMATE' in Lyttelton 1880

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'Waimate' to Lyttelton

New Zealand Bound

1876  1877  1878  1879  1880  Jan.1881  Dec. 1881 1882 1886

The Waimate, a New Zealand Shipping Company ship made 22 voyages to New Zealand between 1874 and 1891, the majority to the two South Island ports. Lyttelton 10 voyages and Port Chalmers 8 voyages. She was built by Messrs J. Blumer and Co., Sutherland.  In 1896 she was sold to the Russians and renamed the Valkyraian and in 1899 bound from Newcastle, N.S.W. to Iquique, Chile she was never heard from. History

The Star January 26 1875
This fine iron clipper ship, the fourth vessel built expressly for the New Zealand Shipping Company, and the ninth vessel of the fleet, was signalled yesterday at 6.30 a.m.. As the ship flew the Commodore's flag (the New Zealand flag with a swallow tail) it was known that it was the Waimate. Passing the Ship Waitangi, a comparison of the two vessels could be made from a short distance off both vessels. The hulls appeared very similar, but the masts of the Waimate were taunter than those of her sister, Waitangi. Eight deaths had occurred, seven being infants, and one an as adult named George Cross, aged 15 . The party was welcomed on board by Captain Henry Rose, Commodore of the fleet. The ship is certainly a model as ever entered Lyttelton. She has a splendid spring and good sheer, a fine pop and her main deck is remarkably well laid. She was built by the same builders as the Waitangi, Messrs J. Binmer and Co., Sunderland. She was launched in September last, and from fore to aft no expense has been spared to make her a first-class passenger and immigrant vessel. Her length is 219ft; beam 35ft; hld 20ft; 'tween decks, 7ft 3in. She has six splendid boats on board, two large life-boats, properly fitted up and hanging on davits; two large pinnace [boats ready to launch at a moments notice; and a large gig, with oars and life-bouys complete. Of the crew, most of them have followed Mr Rose.
Mr Davitt, formerly of the William Miles, is chief officer.
Mr Gibson is second officer:
Mr Pearson is purser
and amongst the crew the familiar face of "Old Uncle," the carpenter, and our old acquaintance the boatswain, who, for many years. has sailed with the Captain.

During the passage, a lad, an O.S., named George green, fell overboard, the ship was running a heavy sea. A life bouy was thrown to him, and the vessel was running 18 knots in a heavy sea, was brought to. A man was sent to the mizen crosstrees, but could see not signs of the youth. As the sea was very rough, the captain was obliged to continue on his voyage. The single women's compartment , found 73 girls, under the charge of matron Miss Wright and sub-matron, Miss Knight. Swing parties were organsied, concerts took place, and on Christmas and New Year's day concerts were given, to which the cabin passengers were invited, and attended. The families number 59. The condenser, a new one of Gravelley's, distilling 400 gallons of water per diem, had acted well, and the engineer, George Plaskett, speaks in high terms of it. Aft of this as a large and powerful steam winch. The seaman and petty officers have accommodation in the deck houses created forward. The saloon is very commodious. There is accommodation for eighteen passengers.

Dr Cleghorn is the surgeon-superintendent of the ship. He has paid to visits to this port, the last time in the ship City of Glasgow. At 1 p.m. a supply of fresh meat and potatoes were served out to the immigrants and they way they attacked the meal provided showed that it was thoroughly enjoyed. Indeed, the sounds from one end of the vessel to the other were of congratulation that they had come to a country where so much kindness was shown them on their arrival.


The Star 30th Dec. 1876
The N.Z.S. Company ship the Waimate for London from Lyttelton. 1123 tons, Captain Peek. Towed out by the p.s. Titan.
passengers:

Saloon -
Duffin 		Mr W.H.
Murphy 		Mr W.H.
Quayle 		Mrs
Ringwood 	Mr J.E.
Roberts 	Mr A.F.
Sheat 		Mr 
Taylor 		Mr and Mrs C.M.
Wake 		Mr H.B.

Second Class
Higgenson 	Mr H
Hillard 	Mrs Sarah
Richardson 	Mrs A.M.

Third Class
Kerr 		Mr and Mrs
Pennington 	Mr, Mrs and Miss
Stout 		Mr
Wait 		Mrs
Wright 		Mr

The Star Monday 3 September 1877
Timaru Herald, 2 August 1877, Page 2
Arrived Lyttelton Sept. 3, Waimate 1124 tons, Peek, from London. She passed Deal on 7 June so has had 87 days from that point.

Passengers: saloon
Anderson 	Mr John
Ashby 		Mr Francis
Brodie 		Mr James M.
Haskin 		Mr Edward
Wilson 		Mr William
Wood 		Mr J.H.

Second Cabin
Badham 		Miss Florence
Dudham 		Mr and Mrs Samuel
Jones 		Mr and Mrs Edward
Mathews 	Mr Robert
Modley 		Mr Hubert
Thomas 		Mr and Mrs Rees
Spicer 		Mr and Mrs Thomas
Spiller 	Mr and Mrs John

Steerage
Acres 		Emily
Agrew 		Matilda
Atyro 		George and wife 
Banckham 	Arthur wife and infant
Batterbee 	William 
Benjamin 	Henry
Bignell 	Arthur
Carter 		Daniel, wife and infant
Chapman 	Alfred D
Claridge 	Charles and wife
Delamalles 	Gerard
Dugan 		James
Dyke 		John, wife and family
Eloan 		Patrick
Figures 	Mary
Fraser 		Donald, wife and family
Gregory 	Edward, wife and family
Hunt 		George A
Lansley 	Emily, child and infant [Lausley]
Leishman 	Septimus
Marshman 	Rebecca and child
Monson 		Robert
Qualmer 	Henry, wife and son
Reynolds 	Frederick
Richardson 	Mrs
Sloan 		James
Sloan 		Patrick
Tanthorpe 	James, wife and family
Train 		Frederick, wife and family
Turner 		Ambrose
Wright 		John

The Star Wednesday Nov. 21 1877 page 2
The Waimate will sail for London on arrival of the 2. 30 pm train from Christchurch. The Waimate cleared  the Customs at Lyttelton for London yesterday evening and was towed into the stream by the p.s. Titan at 3 p.m. The Waimate is in splendid order. Her passenger list is numerous, and her cargo is an exceedingly valuable one, in fact one of the most valuable that has ever left the port.
Nov. 20 -Waimate, ship, 1124 tons, Peek, for London. N.Z. Shipping Company, agents.

Passengers: Saloon
Barber 		Mrs
Bernasconl 	Mr
Carylson 	Rev. H.E.
Gibson 		Dr
Knight 		Miss E
Kirkland 	Miss and two children
Todhunter 	Mrs, family and servant
Watson 		Mr G.W.
Watson 		Mr J

Steerage:
Boyd 		Mr and Mrs and three children
Butler 		Mr and one child
Worgan 		Mrs and family

The following is a summary
2875 	bales of wool 		£57,500
  35 	bales rabbit skins 	        £740
 263 	casks tallow 		     £3410
  78 	kegs  butter 		        £200
 543 	cases meats 		        £820
4911 	sacks wheat 		      £4900
 622 	sacks flour 		         £620
   3	pakgs sundries 		            £50
90 boxes gold
29171oz 9dwts 6gms 		£117,489 11

The Star Wednesday 25 September 1878 pg2
Arrived Lyttelton
Sept. 15 - Waimate, ship, 1123 tons, Peek, from London.

Passengers: Saloon
Beaven 		Mr A.W.
Bennett 	Miss
Gardner 	Mr J C
Gneritz 	Mr E
Greenstreet 	Mr A
Grindley 	Miss
Hart 		Mrs
Hart 		Miss Jessie
Kitchen 	Mr E.T.
Lees 		Mr A
Lingard 	Rev. E.A.
Lingard 	Mrs
Lingard 	Miss Constance
Mills 		Mrs
Mortiner 	Mr and Mrs
Roberts 	Miss
Payne 		Mr F.H.
Yates 		Mr J.T.H.

Second cabin
Brown 		Mr J
Chaffey 	Mr R
Forbes 		Mr
Hirst 		Mr G.W.
Johnston 	Mr James S

Steerage
Allitt 		Mr W
Andrews 	Mr G.F.
Carroll 	Mr P
Conlson 	Mr and Mrs and child
Davis? 		Mr R.H.
Farr 		Mr James and two children
Klink 		Mr F
Klink 		Mr G
Lascelles 	Mr T
Norrie 		Mr Jno.
Peters 		Mrs
Pinkerton 	Mr W
Thoroley 	Mr T
Scruby 		Mr A
Walsh 		Mr James

Star, Christchurch  12 June 1879
Arrived from London "Waimate" - ship - 1124 tons - R. Peek - from London, March 5. NZSC Agents.

Passengers - saloon
Bain 		Mr James 
Bain 		Miss Mary 
Beatie 		Rev. A.M.
Beatie 		Mrs
Butler 		Mr Frank
Chrisp   	Miss Mary
Dony 		Miss Emily 
Edwards 	Mr E.
Edwards 	Mrs E. 
Harrison 	Mr J.B
Harrison	Mr Thomas jun.
Knight 		Miss E.J.
Marshall	Mr Alfred
Oliver 		Miss Charlotte 
Oliver 		Miss Emily E.
Renshaw		Miss 
Slack 		Mr G.W.
Wardale 	Mrs 
Whitford	Mr T.W.R.

2nd cabin -
Amy 		Mr John 
Amy 		Mrs & friends 
Edgecomb 	Mr Charles S.
Griffin 	Mr Richard  
Jones   	Mr Thomas  F.
Jones 		Mr William H
Kelland 	Mr E
Kelland 	Mrs 
Michan  	Mr Ernest
Snoad 		Mr Arthur 
Strafford 	Mrs Alice and daughter
Vickers 	Mr John W.
Williams 	Mr John A. 

Steerage -
Ashcroft	 Joseph & wife 
Bell		 Jane 
Birkinshaw	 Thomas & wife, & family
Carter		 Charles
Jones		 Mary
Kittan		 Arthur
Mathias		 John
Nugent		 Francis
Russell		 Arthur, wife & child, 
Sherlog		 Francis
Twenlow		 John
Warrington	 S.J. 
Westaway	 Thomas wife & child  

The following is a transcript from the Star, a Christchurch  newspaper, Wednesday 25th February 1880, page 2 column a. 

Arrived Lyttelton
Feb. 24 Waimate, ship, 1124 tons, Capt. Peek, from London. NZ. Shipping Co. agents.

Passengers Saloon -
Mr Alfred S. Johnston
Miss Jessie Heywood
Mr Arthur Boyd
Mr F.W. Clunie
Mr Henry S. Watson
Mr Alfred Baylis,
Mr Thomas L. Hedson
Mr J.G. Collins
Mr Frank Cordeaux
Mr John Hynt
Mr Samuel S. Maclaren
Mrs Maclaren
Miss Catherine Cook
Mr Myles
Mr A. Sleigh
Mr Thomas Stoddart
Miss Mary J. Whitsett,
Mr O. Evans
Mr W. Parton
Mr David Peddie.

2nd Cabin -

Mr John Cotterill
Mr Edward Stanford
Mr Frederick Thurgarland
Mr Arthur Denson
Mr Josiah Denson
Miss Helen Ferinor
Mr Richard Richardson
Mr John A. Riddell
Mr John N. Livese
Mr Francis Morley
Mr William George Broad
Mr James Dawson
Mr L. Johns
Mrs Johns
Ethel Johns
Mr Edward M. Milner
Mr Samuel Slocombe
Mrs Slocombe
Master Sydney Slocombe
Miss Ethel Slocombe
Mr James Richardson,
Mr Oswald Richardson
Mr James Hutchinson
Mrs Hutchinson
Mr John Clinto
Mrs Clinton
Mr Alexander Younie
Mrs Younie
Mr William F. Neary
Miss Mary Pollinger
Mr Alfred Taylor
steerage - 100

The Waimate, from London in Quarantine.

The NZSCo.'s ship Waimate, Captain Peek, from London, arrived yesterday morning. On the vessel's arrival, it was reported that she had measles on board, and on the Health Officer going down it was found that there had been 14 cases of measles during the passage and that there were two cases under treatment, one being D'Oyly, an apprentice. The ship was then  ordered into quarantine, and the yellow flag hoisted. The Waimate brings 20 saloon, 33 second cabin, and 100 steerage passengers, all of whom have, with the exception of the 14 cases of measles mentioned, enjoyed good health on the passage. The vessel being placed in quarantine, we are unable to furnish a full report of her passage and other matters; Captain Peek, however, supplies the following loading particulars of the passage:-
Left the South-West India Docks at 11 a.m. on Nov. 26, and Gravesend on Nov. 27. Cast off from the tug and landed the pilot next day. Took final departure from land on Nov. 29, passed Madeira Dec. 6, and crossed the equator on Dec. 29. At 1 a.m. Feb. 22 the Waimate was off Otago Heads. Made the Peninsula on Sunday night, and anchored at 8.30 a.m. yesterday, 88 days from Deal and 83 days from land to land. The Surgeon-Superintendent is Mr Alfred Jones. Mr Canise still occupies the post of chief officer.


The Star Friday 7th January 1881
Lyttelton, Arrived
Jan. 6 - Waimate, ship, 1124 tons, Peek, from London. N.Z. Shipping Co., agents. Dr Farrell* of Nelson, who officiated as surgeon of the ship, during the passage. Among the passengers were colonists returning from a trip to the Old Country.*
 

Passengers
Arundel 	Miss M.J.
Barber 		Mr Edward
Barber 		Mrs
Barber 		Miss
Bright 		Mr Walter
Buller 		Mr Rev. James*
Buller 		Mrs*
Buller 		Miss A*
Cholmondely 	Mr Thomas*
Deed 		Mr Herbert A
Edmondson 	Mr Henry E
Edmondson 	Mr John E
Elliott 	Mr George A
Ellman 		Mr James
Goetz 		Mr S
Hoskins 	Miss Elizabeth
Hoskins 	Miss Mary
Martin 		Miss Margaret
McDonald 	Miss Catherine
Pursey 		Miss M. L.
Robison 	Mr Hugh S.
Ross 		Miss Margaret
Vickers 	Mr Benjamin 
Vickers 	Mr Thomas K
Vickers 	Mr William Henry
Walting 	Mr Edmund

Quite unexpectedly, the clipper ship, Waimate, Captain Peek, arrived in harbour this morning with 26 passengers, after a magnificent passage of 68 days from Eddystone. She took her final departure from Eddystone on Oct. 30, crossed the line Nov. 16, passed the Cape Dec. 7, and sighted the Snares on Jan. 4, arriving at the Heads last night. One of the saloon passengers, Mr J.J. Connelly, died of phthisis on Nov. 4, and one of the ordinary seaman, Henry Wood, died on Jan. 3. from effusion of the brain, having been ill during the earliest part of the passage.

Saturday 8th January 1881
When the s.s. Northumberland left London the Waimate was loading, and the steamer's time only beat that made by the Waimate by seven days. The passage is certainly a splendid one, and has only been beaten by one other vessel, the renowned Oliver Lang. The officers of the Waimate this trip are Mr Haslewood, chief mate, last here as second of the Piako; Mr Crang, second, and Mr Granfiled, third. Mr W.H. Pickett still occupies the post as chief steward, this being his fifth voyage in the Waimate. The Waimate was berthed at the Gladstone Pier on Saturday.


The Star Monday 19 December 1881
[Timaru Herald, 20 December 1881, Page 2 from the Press Dec. 19th]
Arrived Lyttelton, Dec. 17 - Waimate, ship, 1124 tons, Mosey, from London (Sep. 5). NZ Shipping Co. agents.

Passengers - Saloon:
Adams 		Mr Henry
Coleman 	Mr and Mrs
Davis 		Mrs
Ellis 		Mr J S
Fellows 	Eliza
Fellows 	Mary
Hall 		Mr Robert E
Martyn 		Mr T H
Nelson 		Mr Frederick
Nelson 		Mr Frederick Montague
Nelson 		Mr Arthur
Nelson 		Miss Ida
Nelson 		Mr George
Nelson 		Mr Ernest
Nelson 		Miss Eva
Nelson 		Master Oswald
Nelson 		Miss Gertrude
Scruby 		Miss
Sorley 		Mr John
Wilson 		Miss Blanche M

Second Cabin
Cordery 	Mrs Edith
Cordery 	Mr Ernest
Cordery 	Master Hugh
Cordery 	Master Lionel
Orr 		Mrs Margaret
Orr 		Mrs Mary
Orr 		Miss Maggie
Orr 		Miss Mary
Orr 		Mr James
Orr 		Miss Julia
Orr 		Miss Annie
Orr 		Miss Robina [Verbena] 
Orr		Miss 
Orr 		Master Alexander
Orr 		Master Thomas
Smith 		Ellen
Smith 		Agnes

Steerage
Atkinson 	J
Bell 		Margaret
Hawker 		Henry
Hawker 		Priscilla 
Hawker 		Harry
Hawker 		Nellie
Hawker 		Aubrey
Hawker 		Albert
Hawker 		Eva
Marshall 	James
Marshall 	Jane
Marshall 	Elizabeth
Marshall 	John
Marshall 	Sarah 
Marshall 	William J
Marshall 	Richard
Marshall 	Annie Maria
McCoy 		James
McCoy 		Isabella
Myers 		Mary
Myers 		Annie
Prue 		William
Prue 		Alice
Prue 		William G
Prue 		Catherine
Prue 		Ellen
Prue 		Thomas Edward
Prue 		Annie
Wilson 		William
Wilson 		Mary
Wilson 		William
Wilson 		Tom

The Waimate, Captain B. Mosey, arrived from London on Saturday evening after a ninety-one days' passage from cast off from the Channel tug to anchorage. The ship brings 68 passengers, two horses, six sheep, besides some ducks, hedgehogs and dogs. Dr Soreby was the ship's surgeon. The ship came into port in excellent order in every part, being a credit to her officers, which are as follows
Mr Hardy, chief
Mr Mulwood, second
Mr Moorhouse, third
Mr W.H. Pickett is on his sixth voyage on the ship as Chief Steward.


The Star Monday 6th November 1882
Arrived Lyttelton -
Nov. 5 - Waimate, ship, 1125 tons, Mosey, from London. NZSCo., agents.
The Waimate dropped anchor off Diamond Harbour, 5 minutes to midnight, having been towed in by the p.s. Lyttelton. She brings 16 saloon passengers, 7 second class and 36 steerage. No illness. Captain Mosey and her officers: Messrs Hardy, Milward, and Campbell. Mr Pickett is still the chief steward.

Passengers: Saloon
Avenell 	Mr Percy
Candy 		Mrs Eleanor
Candy 		Miss Amy A
Candy 		Miss Eleanor B
Candy 		Miss Gertrude M
Candy 		Miss Mandie
Denny 		Miss
Hewson 		Mrs Isabel
Hewson 		Miss Mary
Hewson 		Miss Maude
McCulloch 	Miss Alice
Mollett 	Mr and Mrs Thomas
Mollett 	Miss Lucretia
Thomas 		Mr and Mrs
Trent 		Mr and Mrs Edwin

Second cabin
Bannard 	Mrs Mary A
Bannard 	Miss Adelaide A
Bannard 	Miss Edith M
Bannard 	Miss Florence A
Bond 		Miss Julia
Bowmar 		Mr Charles
Summers 	Miss Mary E

Steerage
Barnard 	Walter
Barnard 	Gertrude
Barnard 	Alfred
Barnard 	Ethol B
Bryenton 	Lemon
Bryenton 	Frederick
Brockett 	Emma
Brockett 	Ernest
Brockett 	Alfred
Brockett 	Arthur
Burke 		John
Burke 		Michael
Connell 	Pat
Connell 	Mary
Darley 		William
Darley 		Lizzie
Darley 		Maggie
Darley 		Charlotte
Darley 		Mary
Feahy 		Bryan
Francis 	John
Francis 	Margaret
Hewitt 		Isabella
Molloy 		Michael
Musson 		Thomas
Musson 		William
Musson		Jane
Musson		Sarah
Spencer 	Ann
Spencer 	Edward
?uane		Thomas

The Star Monday 29th March 1886
Arrived Lyttelton
March 28- Waimate, ship, 1124 tons, Canese, from London. New Zealand Shipping Company.

Passengers - 
Fitzgerald Mr P
George Mr
Gerald
Stewart Mr A.H.
Wilson Mr

Timaru Herald Thursday 17 February 1887
Sailed. Feb. 16 - Waimate, ship, Captain F. Cancase, for London. Passengers - Rear-Admiral Scott, Mrs Scott and family. Her cargo consist of 5085 bales wool, 2 bales rabbit skins, 20 bales basils, 1000 bags oats, 500 bags flour, 17 packages sundries.


The Times, Thursday, May 15, 1930; pg. 12 col C
Nautical Memories A. F. BLOOD.
I was a passenger in the beginning of 1883 in the full-rigged sailing ship Waimate (N.Z. Shipping Company), homeward-bound from Port Lyttelton, N.Z. to London. Our voyage lasted 90 days, a fairly fast passage. During the run from New Zealand to Cape Horn (helped by he "steady westerlies") the only other vessel sighted was the Berean, and she passed quite close to us, and left the Waimate apparently 'standing still. Before the Berean overhauled us, our skipper told me the Berean was the fastest vessel on that route. When the Waimate hauled into Tilbury Dock, about the end of March 1883, there was the Berean nearly discharged.


Matrons

1880s -  The British Ladies' Female Emigrant Society has sixteen permanent matrons on its list for New Zealand ships, who receive about £30 for each voyage, and 10s. 6d. a week when waiting for a ship. The office is 23 Fitzroy Square, W. The duties are not menial, but a good deal of nursing sometimes falls to a matron's lot.

The most important of the surgeon's assistants was the matron, responsible for the welfare of the single women. She was usually a suitable person from among the emigrants, selected for the Agent-General by the British Ladies' Female Emigrant Society, whose agent paid two or three visits to almost all the New Zealand emigrant ships before they sailed.

New Zealander, 10 March 1852, Page 3
FEMALE EMIGRATION. BRITISH LADIES FEMALE EMIGRANT SOCIETY.
From the "Australian and New Zealand Gazette.")

We have lying before us the Second Report of above Society, which is distinct from, but having objects similar to that originated by the Right Hon. Sydney Herbert. These are to establish homes for the instruction and preparation of female emigrants previous to their departure; to provide visitation at the ports, to secure judicious and efficient matrons for the voyage, and to form corresponding societies in the colonies for the protection and assistance of the female immigrants on their arrival. The society, like its predecessor, numbers many names of high rank; and her Majesty the Queen has added a munificent donation to its funds. The society is yet in its infancy and its chief labours have hitherto been confined to the visitation of emigrant ships ; no less than seventy of these having been visited during the past year, and a large amount of instruction has been imparted at the Government depots; —the whole being under the management of ladies, who demote-themselves heartily to the work, and have already effected much good, not only in the mental seed sown, but in the distribution of substantial comforts of which female emigrants but too often stand in need. An effort is about to be made to establish a home in which girls may be received and trained on the principle of servant's training schools, with a view to their being sent out as servants to the colonies ; whilst in the same home, matrons will also be trained to the duties of their office whilst on board. In this, as in all similar cases, funds are required, and the good effected can only be commensurate with such aid ; —but we are confident such institutions only require to be known, in order to awaken the benevolence of many, and, till the legislature of this country is alive to the necessity of providing for female emigration as a part of a national system, benevolence cannot be hotter displayed than in the promotion of such objects. We fear there is but too much apathy in this country with regard to female emigration. It is not a taking subject with the money classes. No theorist could get together a number of speculators, and form a colonizing company on the strength of it. There are thousands who might be induced to put down their money for the purchase of imaginary estates in new colonies:-, but perhaps not one of these would give a doit towards female emigration ; — though without the latter it is about as easy to give permanent value to their land orders as it was for the Israelites of old to make bricks without straw. All, or nearly all that has hitherto been done for female emigration, has been effected by the aristocratic class, including of course those semi aristocratic persons who are "at ease in their possessions." The monied middle class has literally done nothing, and nothing effectual can be done without then co-operation. The benevolence of the aristocratic classes in this country is proverbial, but that benevolence has a limit, and no one who peruses the munificent aids they have afforded towards female emigration can doubt but that limit is almost reached, if from no other cause than the limited number of the donors. But the aids thus afforded are not a system, or at least not a system of sufficient extent to meet the rapidly growing evil.
    Yet the evil must be met, or, like all other diseases in the body physical and the body polite, it will assuredly come to a crisis. Colonization without a due proportion of the sexes is, taken in a philosophical point of view, a suicidal act. By providing for the emigration of the male sex alone such a system actually decrees that females shall be left behind with the alternative only of vice or starvation. We need not say which alternative is taken ; — and when we look at the influence exercised by these doomed women over their corresponding class of male associates, it must be evident that by abstracting the more intelligent and best conducted of the male portion only, we are deteriorating the moral status of those left behind. In most other countries it is deemed an object worthy the attention of Government to preserve a healthy moral balance in the population. In our country this is not in the least attended to. It is true we provide policemen to apprehend evildoers, and judges to punish them; but such a thought as that of adopting any system of preventing evil — with regard to the female population especially — never seems to enter into the ideas of our legislators. When, from our neglect of these matters, we have fairly netted a young female in the commission of crime to which that neglect has driven her, we have no compunction in sending her as a servant, wife, or mother in the house of a Van Diemen's Land bushman, further to corrupt a dwelling, perhaps not over pure already — but to send her before she is corrupted, and whilst she is in the full possession of that influence which all pure-minded women carry with them — to add to the comforts of, and civilize the uncouth but good-hearted backwoodsman, never comes within the scope of our enlightened senators. Thus our system provides that in order for a young unmarried woman to get to our colonies, she must first become a thief. Even if our Government, in a fit of desperation, sends out a few cargoes of women occasionally, the very wost specimens of the sex are selected, as in the case of the Port Phillip female emigrants, to which we have before alluded, and fuel is thus added to colonial flame.
The question of emigration from this country is assuming a new phase, and we shall ere long have to attend to female emigration, for it is questionable whether we have not almost pushed male emigration to its healthy limit. We do not take into account that by sending out men only of high character — or, in the case of their self-expatriation, that none but energetic men emigrate — we leave at home a larger proportion of the lazy, the criminal, and the worthless. To mend this state of things, by our neglect of female emigration, we compel them also to become lazy, criminal, and worthless. What will be the ensuing generation resulting from this mixture? We have already an earnest of it in the criminal calendars of our assizes and sessions. We now surpass most other nations in the number of murders committed, and it should be a striking fact which recent experience developed, that the chief actors in these are women. The number of minor offences is also becoming appalling, and in those, too, women, or causes arising from female associations, are preponderant. The evil will not wait much longer though our legislative apathy may wish to indulge in a little more slumber.
But in the meantime, until Providence shall send us a government able to grapple with the difficulties of our increasing population, it becomes the bounden duty of all lovers of their country to make every exertion for promoting female emigration, as one of the best means of checking the railroad speed of crime- to say nothing of the benevolent satisfaction which must arise from the consciousness of being the means of saving hundreds, it may be thousands, of inexperienced young women, who cannot aid themselves from destruction. Whilst yet uncorrupted our colonies will gratefully receive them, and they may become a further bond of union between us and our colonies ; which bond we much need, for the spirit of disaffection therein, arising solely from our perseverance in mailing crime precede emigration, is every day becoming more and more unmistakable. Our system, like all other systems, carries with it its own reward or punishment, and it will be well if its punishment be not, ere long, its reward.
The Society to which we have alluded is established under the presidency of the Dowager Duchess of Beaufort, with whose name are associated those of many ladies of high rank. The offices of the Society are at 25, Red Lion Square, and its Secretary is Mr. Charles Gwillin. We willingly depart from our usual custom in giving publicity to these matters, as we are confident that we are effecting a good purpose in making the benevolent exertions of these ladies as widely known as possible. We have also another object, viz., that of bringing public opinion to bear on the Legislature, so that a matter of such national importance as female emigration shall no longer be left to the sympathies of private benevolence, much as that has effected ; but that it should be deemed worthy of attention in the councils of Government, so that the national disgrace of taking no heed for the most defenceless portion of the population may be wiped away.