[Page 1.]

[Printed letterhead in brown ink:] COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

CUSTOMS AND EXCISE OFFICE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

MINUTE PAPER.

[Blank space labelled 'T. & C. No.'. Blank space labelled 'C. & E. No.']

[Blank space labelled 'Subject'.]

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The Inspector.

Acting under instructions and in company with Messrs. Lightfoot, Naughton, Baily [corrected in black ink to 'Bailey'], and Fairweather, I met the tug "Eagle" at the McLaren Wharf at 7.25 p.m. [The words 'last evening' have been added by hand.] On board were F. H. Rose (chief officer-, J. P. Wilson (3rd. officer), Thomas Fordyce (2nd. Engineer), William Shaw (carpenter), and 20 colored men, being survivors from the S. S. "Clan Ranald" which was lost off Troubridge Hill on the 31st. Jany., 1909.

On interviewing Mr. G. J. Abernethy, the agent for the owners of the "Clan Ranald", he obtained cabs which conveyed the colored crew to the Sailors' Home. After tea had been taken and arrangements made for sleeping, each of the colored crew were taken separately into an adjoining room where the dictation test was applied by myself, and each failure witnessed by Mr. Lightfoot. Hand prints were taken by Mr. Naughton.

2. Nineteen of the colored crew failed to pass the test although some of the men speak good English. The quartermaster (Lucano Orico) known as No. 18 on examination showed that he not only could read and speak English fluently but could also write the dictation test without any hesitation. Consequently the test must be put in another language than English and one with which he is unacquainted. I would suggest that Detective Segerlind be employed for this purpose.

3. Mention must be made of the assistance tendered in interpreting by Mahomed Assak, 2nd. tindal, whose knowledge of English

[Page 2.]

[Printed letterhead in brown ink:] COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

CUSTOMS AND EXCISE OFFICE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

MINUTE PAPER.

[Blank space labelled 'T. & C. No.'. Blank space labelled 'C. & E. No.']

[Blank space labelled 'Subject'.]

[End printed header section.]

English and of the individual members of the crew greatly lightened the work of prohibition and enabled the work to be completed more quickly than otherwise.

4. After the examination was completed Mr. Lightfoot discovered that the two (2) manilla quarter masters, Lucano Orico and Blass Rainos, were known by him in Broome, W.A., and this fact materially assisted in carrying out the provisions of the I. R. Act.

The colored crew are comfortably accommodated in a large room in the basement of the Sailors' Home and Mr. G. J. Abernethy states that the firm of Bagot Shakes and Lewis, agents for [inserted phrase: 'the owners of the'] "Clan Ranald", are quite prepared to enter into the bond required.

Nineteen (19) hand prints of rejected immigrants and one (1) specimen sheet of Lucano Orico's attempt at the test are attached. Lucano Orico will be subjected to a further test.

[Handwritten signature:] W.P. Stokes

Baording [sic] Inspector.

2/2/1909.

[Handwritten annotation in black ink:]

Through the Actg. B.I. [acting boarding inspector.]

Forwarded to the Inspector.

[Illegible name, possibly 'Mr. Bohlmann']

Actg B.I.

2/2/09.

[Handwritten annotation in black ink:]

The Collector

Forwarded

[Illegible handwritten signature.]

Act [illegible] 2/2/09