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    28 EMIGRANT-SHIP MATKONS,

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    This Is Not To Be A Paper On Emigration....

    pointed to every ship carrying single women , either ( 1 ) directly by us ( 2 ) bus on the recommendation of the Ladies' Societyor ( 3 )

    , y , by the surgeons of ships . The latter have been the most numerous , and on the whole the most successful . But considering the peculiar

    _qualifications required , and the special difficulties of the situation , the proportion of inefficient or ill-conducted matrons has been very

    email indeed . " In our report of last year we mentioned that it had been

    proposed to constitute a body of permanent matrons , in the same manner as our surgeons are employedand that the local government of

    _Kew South Wales had agreed to , the proposal . In the course of 1858 , three matrons who had made previous voyages were

    reappointed . The reports of the conduct of these matrons have been satisfactory . If the m _* rangement _worlcs as well as it pro ? nisesit may

    , be expected that the other colonies _zvill also in time adopt it . " * ec If the arrangement works well , " etc . _WTiat arrangement ? Why

    that the women who have worked as zealously and with , as much earnestness , and who , to quote the government report , ' * are second

    only to the surgeons in maintaining discipline , _" shall be placed in a position in some degree analogous to those officers , and receive

    as a maximum salary , after four voyages , fifty pounds a year , with an allowance of thirty pounds for a return passage , instead of

    the miserable dole of five pounds now given to the matrons for the services of each voyage hy the London commissioners . It is true

    that if the vessel be bound for Adelaide , that government also presents the matron with another & ve pounds , while if the _joort should

    happily be Victoria , the sum received will be an extra fifteen pounds , '' provided the matron has proved thoroughly efficient ; and can

    produce testimonials of efficiency from the surgeon ; hut the commissioners in London will not make any _turitten promise to any matron

    that the above terms ivill be adhered to , it rests with the colonial government" So that actually and in reality the matrons are paid at

    the rate of Rye pounds per annum , or threepence farthing , a day ! A magnificent gum that surelyfor hazarding life and healthand braving

    all the dangers of the sea , and the horrors of an emi , grant ship . We are very far from even hinting that the claims on the colonies

    for service rendered are ever dishonored , and we have no reason for supposing that there is any collision between these parties ; we are

    simply stating facts , and asking what the surgeons , the captains , naywhat the sailors would say , were they subjected to a similar

    , treatment . Although many of these women do return , again and again ,

    ( one of them having made six voyages , ) no provision _tvhatever is made for their return passage .

    You would like , we dare say , to see what sums are allowed for the return passages of the surgeons , we were curious ourselves , and

    having found the figures in the government report for 1856 , we copy them for your edification .

    * Blue Book , 1859 , page 16 .

    28 Emigrant-Ship Matkons,

    28 EMIGRANT-SHIP MATKONS ,

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), March 1, 1860, page 28, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01031860/page/28/