NAA: A1, 1909/13434

Sawatzke, Wilhelmine

Digital copy - 5587

Details

Occupation as writtenHousekeeper
Standardised occupationDS00: Domestic service - Domestic duties
Application received1 Jan 1909
Application status Approved
Official
Date of approval or denial3 Dec 1909
If rejected, why?
Birthplace as writtenSonnenberg, Province of Posen, Germany
Modern countryGermany
Age on application69
Age on arrival in Australia31
Port of DepartureBerlin
Port of ArrivalPort Adelaide
Date of arrival3 Jan 1877
Name of shipHerschel
VoyageHerschel (1877-01-03)

Addresses

Address in AustraliaJamestown
Address StateSouth Australia
Time at address24 years
Previous address 1Darra
Address StateQueensland
Time at address4 years
Previous address 2Kapunda
Address StateSouth Australia
Time at address6 months
Previous address 3Cathorie? - 4 months Laura, Queensland - 6 months Yassoroil? - 1 year Port Adelaide - 7 months Eudunda, South Australia- 1 year
Address State
Time at address

Family

MarriedYes
ChildrenYes

4: three sons and one daughter

two sons in Jamestown, the other unknown, and one daughter in Port Pirie in South Australia

References

Name of referenceDonald Rosie
Occupation of referenceJustice of the Peace (South Australia)
Marginalia description

Police report attachedNo
Link to other applicant
LiterateYes

Why are they applying?

ReasonN/A
Other information

Further comments

She says she is the wife of Michael Sawatzke, Labourer
THE IMMIGRANT SHIP HERSCHEL: On the arrival of the immigrant ship Herschel a petition was presented to the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration, signed by several of the newly-
arrived immigrants, complaining of the treatment they had received from the captain during the voyage. They also charged the Immigration Officer, Dr. Duncan, with having neglected to make a proper enquiry into the truth of the complaints which they had made to him on their arrival with respect to their treatment on board the Herschel. A Commission was appointed to investigate the matter, and on Feb 5 they sent in their report, which we publish below. The Commission touch very lightly upon the so-called investigation conducted by Dr. Duncan, which evidently was a complete farce. They suggest that on future occasions on the arrival of ships with German immigrants he should take a competent interpreter,
and they might have added that he should not be accompanied by ladies or any persons whose presence would be likely to prevent the passengers from speaking out plainly. The report shows further that the Surgeon-Superintendent never received any intimation of the actual position he was entitled to assume, and should have assumed, by virtue of his office. In consequence of this he failed to perform
some of the duties devolving upon him, and to this neglect arising from ignorance is attributed the continuance of many of the differences that arose. Another serious piece of mismanagement was that the printed scale of rations in the hands of the passengers did not agree with the scale mentioned in the charter party. We take it for granted the Government will make strict enquiry as to the way in which this discrepancy occurred, and that they will try to find out who is responsible for the mistake. Some of the
articles of food the Commission consider were decidedly bad, and the quantity supplied seems to have
been insufficient. The deficiency of water appears to have been caused by the defectiveness of the distilling apparatus. The complaints made as to the Hospital were evidently well founded. The Com-
mission consider "that the treatment of the passengers by Captain Kamman has been such as to ensure strict discipline." We confess we cannot agree with this. (See https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/40785735 for more info)