n June, 1874, says:
"I have already called your attention to the fact that the shipment by
the ... included a number of girls out of the Cork Workhouse, and I took
the opportunity of remarking on the very undesirable character of such
immigration. A perusal of the report of the Immigration Officer at
Dunedin will, I think, convince you how very disastrous it is likely to
prove to the cause of immigration if such modes of selection as those
adopted by Mrs. ---- (who was paid per emigrant) are under any
circumstances permitted. The result in the colony of the landing and
distribution of such women as these complained of, and of such
immigrants as the "young men" whom Mr. Allen states he has ascertained
to be professed thieves, and one of them a ticket-of-leave man, is
naturally a feeling of indignation and dismay."

No doubt this was an extreme case, but, nevertheless, it is plain that,
what with the great influx of a low class of navvies during the height
of our public works, and the vicious and degenerate people, of whom so
many were introduced at this time, the average of our population in
point of quality was considerably deteriorated. My experience as Medical
Officer of our largest asylum for so many years has convinced me that
the ultimate cost of this degraded class of people to this country is
enormous. For instance, here is an account of two families and their
asylum history:--

+--------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------+
| | | Cost per | |
| | | Head. Rate, | |
|Number. | Name. | L1 per Week | Total Cost. |
+--------+-------------------------------+---------------+-------------+
| | | L s. d.| L s. d.|
| | _Family of B._ | | |
|I | A.B. (brothers) | 80 2 0 | |
|II | C.B. | 274 4 0 | |
|III | D.B. | 230 2 0 | |
|IV | E.B. | 8 2 0 | |
|V | F.B. | 8 2 0 | |
| | |---------------+ 600 12 0 |
| | _Family of C._ | | |
|