Location: Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand

Surnames/tags: Immigrant Ships to New Zealand New Zealand
The La Hogue sailed from Gravesend on 20 February 1874 with 353 adult immigrants, and arrived in Wellington on 26 May 1874
ARRIVAL OF THE IMMIGRANT SHIP LA HOGUE. [1]
Before people had ceased to talk about the arrival of the Wennington, her long passage, and the prospects of her immigrants, we have had another immigrant vessel, of much larger size, and carrying more immigrants, come to an anchor in the harbor; before people had done congratulating themselves on an immigrant ship having at last come in without disease on board, another English vessel has brought a clean bill of health.
That Wellington should have been fortunate enough to have two immigrant ships arriving on two consecutive days, each perfectly free from disease of any kind, is a fact which should prevent us for some time at least from complaining that there has been mismanagement in the matter of immigration.
The arrival of the La Hogue was not unexpected, as she is 94 days out, and, therefore, may be said to have been due for some days; still, coming so close on the Wennington, the signals were watched with unusual interest yesterday morning, and the announcement of her name, and the welcome news that all were well on board, were received with some gratification.
Pilot Holmes has had a heavy run upon his bodily powers with these two ships. It was with the greatest difficulty he could get on board the La Hogue, the seas breaking constantly over his boat, and threatening to upset it, but the La Hogue was brought up in fine style, the wind having turned just in time to allow her to come up the channel without a steamtug, but not to admit of her anchoring close to the wharf.
As she was lying out some distance, and the wind and sea wore rather high for even the adventurous boatmen, her agents, Messrs W. and G. Turnbull and Co., determined to utilise their steamer, the Stormbird.
Steam was accordingly got up, and about two o'clock the representatives of the firm, with the Health and Immigration Officers, went on board, and a start was made for the ship, the steamer being met with three hearty cheers as she rounded-to under the La Hogue's stern, and as the sight of the bountiful supply of fresh provisions which had been thoughtfully sent off met the eyes of the immigrants.
On going on board it was found that there was no disease of any kind existing, though one poor woman was lying below in a very sickly state, to whom Dr Johnson immediately attended; that there had been three deaths and six births during the voyage; and that the people on board generally expressed satisfaction with the treatment they had received at the hands of Captain Carvosso and his officers, and with their accommodation and food.
Altogether, things were in capital order as far as the immigrants were concerned.
The ship herself is a very fine vessel, and is capitally suited for carrying immigrants. She is by no means a new vessel, and many will, no doubt, remember her as the Blackwall liner which used to trade between Sydney and London.
She is Sunderland built, and was for some time one of the Dunbar fleet, when she performed many good and serviceable voyages. Frigate-built, and in many respects resembling the equipment of a man-of-war, she is very comfortable aft; and a remarkable feature is the great size of her poop, which is nearly one hundred feet in length, and affords a most extensive promenade for her passengers.
According to the usual division in these immigrant vessels, the single men were forward, the married couples amidships, and the single women aft, where they had very comfortable quarters.
The La Hogue comes into port in fair condition and in good order, and her general appearance is creditable to her captain and officers. Unfortunately, there is no possibility of her coming much nearer than she is at present for some days yet. The demand at the wharf for accommodation is so great that every inch of available space is taken up as soon as vacated ; and it would too seriously interfere with the Coastal and Melbourne steamers were a large ship allowed to take one of the end berths, which she would necessarily occupy for a considerable time. Consequently the La Hogue will be unable to come to the wharf until the McCallum More's berth is vacated, unless the Harbor-master make some special arrangement, for the City of Glasgow's old berth has not sufficient depth for a deeply laden vessel, and for the Wennington being made fast where the Newcastle barques generally lie.
In addition to the inconvenience to which the ship is subjected, it seems that it will be necessary to keep her immigrants where they are for a week. Pressed for room with the Wennington's large crowd, the barracks at Mount Cook cannot by any exercise of ingenuity be made to receive any considerable portion of the La Hogue's complement, and it would be a very poor apology for landing were they to be put ashore, which is always their great ambition, at the Somes Island barracks, from which the stigma of quarantine can hardly be shaken off.
There seems to be no help for it but to keep them aboard their floating home until proper provision can be made for their accommodation, notwithstanding the grumbling which is bound to ensue upon such a proceeding.
The following is the report of the ship's voyage out, kindly supplied by the Captain through his agents: —
The ship La Hogue, 1331 tons, Captain D. B. Carvosso, left Gravesend on the 20th of February, with 353 adult immigrants. The pilot left her off the Start after a fair run down Channel, on the 24th of February, but for the next five days she was detained by strong head winds in the chops of the Channel. The Line was crossed on tho 23rd of March, and the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on the 13th; ran the easting down between the latitudes of 47 degrees and 49 degrees, and had a bad average run of winds. On Sunday, the 24th of May, the Ship was off the South Cape of New Zealand, and the sou-west gale then brought her fast up the coast. At 2 a.m. on Sunday morning she was off Dunedin, and consequently her run up to port from there has been extraordinarily rapid. The voyage has been therefore accomplished in little more than 93 days, a very good average run.
Three deaths of children occurred during the voyage, from cramp and other infantile affections; no contagious disease of any kind made its appearance, and the general health of the immigrants was excellent, owing in great; measure to the skill and care of Dr W. Russell, under whose charge they were during the voyage.
The following are the names of her cabin passengers: — Rev. James Murphy, Rev. John Murphy, Messrs Percy Scott, Gilbert Wilson, Wm. Alexander, A. H. Court, Darby, Turnbull, Jacobs, and Gibson.
Her cargo consists of 400 tons railway iron, and about 1000 tons general cargo.
It is interesting that of the two ships which are now lying in the harbor, the Wennington came by the Northern route, the La Hogue by the Southern. After discharging her cargo, the La Hogue will proceed in ballast to Sydney, and there load for London.
THE IMMIGRANTS.
Compared with the shipment by the Wennington, the immigrants by the La Hogue are about up to the same standard ; they seem healthy and able-bodied, able and willing to work hard in the new country that is open to them. There wore in all onboard when the ship left Gravesend 500 souls, equal to 353 statute adults, and it is a great thing that so large a number have arrived without harm of any kind having occurred amongst them.
The following is the official approximate list of themselves and their professions: — Married couples without children — 2 laborers, 1 wheelwright, 2 carpenters, 1 farm laborer, 1 fireman.
Married couples with children — 14 laborers, 2 farm laborers, 3 painters, 2 railway laborers, 1 tinsmith, 2 gardeners, 1 shepherd, 2 wheelwrights, 1 brickmaker, 1 ironmoulder, 1 carter, 4 blacksmiths, 9 carpenters, 1 warehouseman, 1 ostler.
Single men — 30 laborers, 5 lads, 1 stoker, 1 butcher, 2 bootmakers, 2 stonemasons, 2 engine cleaners, 1 bricklayer, 1 ploughman, 3 painters, 13 carpenters, 1 striker, 1 blacksmith, 6 farm laborers, 1 tinman, 2 wheelwrights, 1 fireman.
Single women —10 general servants, 1 nurse, 1 laundress, 7 housemaids, 7 young girls.
Applications to engage these immigrants are to be made to Mr Rodward, Immigration Depot, Mount Cook.
Any of the immigrants who are engaged for service in the country districts of the Province will be forwarded by the Immigration Department. The following is a list of the immigrants, as summarised from the full record in the " European Mail" :
— There are 74 families, comprising 21 single females, and 23 single males over 12 years of age, and 157 children under 12 years ; 77 single men, and 21 single women. Taking the two sets of single men and single women, there are about 100 of the former, and 40 of the latter.
Sources
- ↑ Sourced from https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WI18740527.2.4 (PapersPast) National library of New Zealand - WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT, 27 MAY 1874
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