IMMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND. LETTERS TO THE AGENT-GENERAL.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, D-01

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1874. NEW ZEALAND.

IMMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND. LETTERS TO THE AGENT-GENERAL.

Presented to loth Souses of the General Assembly by command of Sis Excellency.

SCHEDULE OF CORRESPONDENCE.

No. Date. Subject. Page. .96 1873. September 22 Certain nominated persons have been refused passages by a Local Agent at Galway. Likely to have injurious effect on system of nomination Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Farnall were never intended to be independent Agents Instructions to Local Agents with respect to nominated emigrants asked for G-erman and Scandinavian emigration contracts. Further information asked for Reply to statement that " Complaints as to the discomfort and suffering endured by emigrants are not borne out by Reports of Immigration Commissioners." Extracts from various reports Telegram. Free Passages—stringent selection —paid officers preferable to agents— depots necessary —Napier emigration—steamers for Canterbury and Otago—20,000 emigrants required—Joseph Arch, &c, &e. Immigrants Land Act. Principles and provisions explained Arrangement for Shaw, Savill, and Co. to provide August Bhips to avoid charge for short shipments. Instruction to keep supply of emigrants in depots should suffice to prevent short shipments Copy of letter to Mr. J. S. "Wright, of Agricultural Labourers' Union, forwarded Hawke's Bay emigrants should not be sent to Wellington. Emigrants should always, if possible, be sent direct to their destination Reasons urged against granting free passages not concurred with. Government at liberty to offer what terms they please, and to alter them at any time. The Brogden and German contracts Gratified Mr. Stewart's special settlement scheme not likely to fall through Dismissal of Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Farnall. Government in no way bound to consult him before making such appointments Relative to Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co.'s tender of 10th July, for conveyance of emigrants Free Nominated Immigration Regulations forwarded Increasing space per adult in ships, and providing bath in married people's compartment Views and instructions generally upon the conduct of immigration General instructions as to shipping arrangements Nominations by calling. Forms forwarded Taranaki immigration. To arrange for vessels to call periodically at New Plymouth Forms of application for passages and certificates issued from the London office require amendment ... Bluff immigration. Vessels to call at Bluff every six weeks Forwarding reports re proceedings against " Punjaub." No reliance to be placed on Her Majesty's Emigration Commissioners. Is to appoint Inspecting Officer. Charter-party requires amendment ... Commissioners of Audit consider payment of total passage money on sailing of vessel objectionable Transfer of contract between Otago and P. Henderson and Co. should be obtained Great disappointment that no report has been received respecting important matters in telegram of 11th October Further re shipping arrangement. Instructions as to division of business. Not to give prolonged contracts. Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. Telegram. Give three-fifths London shipping business to Shipping Company, dividing remainder between Shaw, Savill, and Albion Companies. Make no lengthened contract ... ... ... ... ... Short shipments must not be allowed Semi-official monthly report of proceedings and general information required !00 !04 !06 !13a September 20 September 29 September 29 September 29 1 2 2 2 !14 October 13 2 118 !19 October 21 October 22 4 4 !20 121 October 22 October 22 5 5 !23 October 21 6 !27 !28 October 21 October 21 7 7 !31 !32 !33 !39 !40 !52 !58 !60 October 23 October 23 October 23 October 25 October 27 November 18 November 19 November 20 7 • 8 8 9 10 11 12 13 !63 !64 November 24 November 24 13 14 !66 December 1 14, S89 !91 December 22 December 24 16 16 !93 December 24 16 December 26 17 S93 m December 24 December 24 1874. 18 18 18 !91 17 January 7 February 4 Departmental arrangements and character of officers of his staff ... Arrangement with Messrs. Brogden and Sons approved, subject to promissory notes and interest being paid regularly Nelson and Marlborough immigration. Ship to be sent direct to Nelson once a month with immigrants for the two Provinces Telegram. Despatch ship monthly to Nelson, with emigrants also for Marlborough Mr. Carter's report of arrangements with Mr. C. Holloway received. Should have personally attended to the matter, and afforded Government more information Report from Dublin Agency exceedingly unsatisfactory. Quarterly reports from all Central Agencies required. Absolutely necessary to have officer in Ireland tlioroughlyaequainted with Colony, and devoting whole time to the vrork What are arrangements for conduct of nominated emigration Amendments to charter-party. More liberal dietary, &c. Passengers should embark at Plymouth 19 18 19 February G 19 20 21 February 12 February 6 32 February 11 20 86 37 February 12 February 11 20 21 21

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SCHEDULE OF COEEESPONDENCE— continued. No. Sate. Subject. Pap 41 1874. February 16 No notice has been taken of instruction to charter steamers for Canterbury and Otago. Disregard of telegraphic instructions, and irregularity in affording information, exceedingly annoying Shipping arrangements. Probable amalgamation of Shaw, Savill, and Albion Companies. Business between London and Otago to be divided between Shipping and Albion Companies ... Telegram. Instructions re division shipping business assumed Shipping Company able to meet requirements. Must make up deficiencies. Instructions absolute respecting duration of contracts Forwarding copy of letter from German Consul in Wellington, respecting emigration from Germany 25,100 emigrants to be despatched during 1874 Telegram. Hawke's Bay and Wellington immigration Telegram. Combination of Companies. Instructions as to preventing re-establishment of monopoly Telegram. Vessels arriving with much sickness. Prefer any expenditure to risking ives Greatest stringency must be exercised in selection of emigrants ... Telegram. Building artisans wanted. Grave complaints of late immigrants. Temporary employment of Secretary Very objectionable to send emigrants for one Province by ship bound for another. When this is unavoidable, number of people for each Province should be clearly shown Telegram. Send two ships to Marlborough and one to Taranaki, direct Forwarding correspondence with Superintendent, Westland, respecting demand in his Province for female immigrants Forwarding correspondence with Superintendent, Auckland, respecting immigrants per " Mongol," intended for his Province, remaining in Otago, where vessel first touched Forwarding correspondence with Superintendent, Auckland, respecting certain French immigrants per "Queen of the Age," reported to be ballet-dancers Emigrants for Tavanaki. Carry out instructions with least possible delay ... Forwarding correspondence with Superintendent, Marlborougli, re immigration to his Province, via Nelson Further general remarks and instructions on conduct of immigration Remarks on arrangements with Mr. Leggett Has any action been taken on Immigrants Land Act ? Telegram. Emigrants sent in March to be included in whole number authorized for rest of the year ... Respecting Mr. Cochrane's appointment as Agent at Belfast Respecting application of owners of "Atrato" for increase on rate of passage money Respecting permission of Postmaster-General to exhibit emigration notices at Post Offices Forwarding correspondence with Mr. Farnall respecting his dismissal by the AgentGeneral As to reception of Foreign emigrants on arrival in London en route to the Colony Telegram. Immigrants from Cork workhouse per " Asia." Mrs. Howard to be dismissed Payment of moiety passage money in Colony. Arrangements for this to be made in future contracts and without increase in rate of passage money, except what may be considered reasonable Directing attention to letter in Reynolds' Newspaper, stating that no assistance is given to mechanics desiring to emigrate Immigration to Bluff. If the three Shipping Companies refuse to provide vessels, arrangements must be made outside them for requirements Immigration to Auckland. Difficulty in obtaining complements for ships is largely referable to want of Agonls acquainted with Province Acknowledgment of reply to No. 291, respecting meagre information afforded by Homo Agency. Semi-oflicial monthly reports again requested Immigration to Taranaki. If the shipping firms engaged in the New Zealand trade refuse to provide vessels, they must be obtained elsewhere " New Zealand Handbook." Forwarding proofs, with instructions as to publication, &c. ... Forwarding correspondence with New Zealand Shipping Company relative to the attempt to raise rates of passage Telegram. Number of free emigrants between 1st March and end of year not to exceed 25,000 Glad to observe that he adopted plan of chartering vessels until shipping firms agreed to fair rate of passage money " New Zealand Handbook." Forwarding corrected copy Arrangements should be made to enable shepherds to bring their dogs Blackwall emigration depot. Remarks on agreement with Mr. Hill Irish agencies and Irish emigration British Ladies' Female Emigrant Society. Subscription of 100 guineas a year authorized Agricultural Labourers' Unions. Glad he is obtaining co-operation of these bodies Explanation as to chartering " Atrato " satisfactory ... Transfer of contract with P. Henderson and Co. will be left for his decision... Glad to learn that emigrants can now be obtained with facility, and that he has succeeded in chartering vessels ■12 22 February 16 March 2 22 M March 12 23 57 March 12 March 14 March 14 28 21 25 March 14 March 16 March 25 26 25 25 65 70 26 April 1 26 26 77 April 1 April 8 26 80 April 8 81 April 8 27 82 84 April 9 April 8 2S 29 29 93 95 97 April 9 April 10 April 10 April 16 Bl :>,2 103 104 105 May 4 May 4 May 4 82 82 88 32 112 May 6 33 86 114 May 6 May 7 37 118 May 8 121 May 8 37 37 123 May 7 37 124 May 7 38 125 May 7 38 127 May 8 38 39 130 135 May 8 May 22 40 May 23 41 141 June 1 42 42 42 43 43 44 44 44 45 150 156 157 159 160 162 164 165 167 Juno 4 Juno 4 June 4 Juno 12 Juno 12 June 13 Juno 15 June 15 June 15 45

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1874. NEW ZEALAND.

IMMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND. (LETTERS TO THE AOENT-G-ENERAL.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

No. 1. Memorandum No. 19G, 1873, for the Agent-General. Herewith is forwarded copy of a memorandum from the Immigration Officer at Greymouth, in which it is stated that certain persons nominated through his office were refused passages by your local agent at Galway. I trust that you will call upon your agent for a full report of this case, for it is evident that an extreme hardship has been inflicted on the nominees, apparently through his action. It is needless for me to point out to you the very injurious effect it wiLl have on the system of nominations if your local agents take upon themselves to refuse passages to nominated persons on insufficient grounds. If any of the persons named in the passage orders which I now return to you are willing to emigrate to this Colony, I request that they may bo provided with passages in terms of the Nominated Regulations. The matter was brought under the notice of Parliament a few days ago by the Member for the district, and I regret I was obliged to state that no communication had been received from you which would enable me to account for these eleven nominated immigrants not being provided with passages to the Colony. You will observe that the Colony has sustained the loss of six immigrants through the conduct of your agent, and considerable dissatisfaction has naturally arisen in the minds of tho nominators and their friends on the West Coast at the treatment they have received, and their consequent disappointment. G. Maurice O'Borke. Immigration Office, Wellington, N.Z., 22nd September, 1873.

Enclosure in No. 1. Immigration Officer. Greymouth, to the Under Secretary for Immigration. Immigration Office, Greymouth, Bth September, 1873. On the 2nd January last I granted free passages to eight single women (applications 29 and 31), and took bills for the passages of three men (applications 2S and 30). To-day the applicants, Patrick and Martin Flaherty, of Callaghan's Creek, have brought the warrants back to me, together with letters from their friends in Ireland, stating that the sub-agent at Galway, Mr. Fynn, had refused passages to Ihe nominees, on the ground that in the case of single women a separate warrant should have been procured for each nominated emigrant; and in the other cases, that the names of the nominees should have been on the bills. I enclose the returned warrants herewith.. Six of the nominees having prepared for emigrating, and finding they could not get passages to New Zealand, have gone to America. The remaining five arc waiting to hear again from their friends here. It is much to be regretted that any difficulty has been placed in the way of these people, as I have good reasons for believing they would have been the commencement of a large stream of nominated immigrants from the same district. The Flahertys are representatives of the best class of settlers on the coast, and they assure me that thousands of people in the part of Ireland they come from would emigrate to New Zealand in preference to America if any facilities were afforded them of doing so. Patrick Flaherty, in addition to the eleven nominated in January, has applied for six more passages (application enclosed for your information), but does not like to pay the passage-money until assured that no further difficulties will be raised at home about the passages. I intend to visit Callaghau's Creek neighbourhood aa soon as I have your reply, and I shall bo glad to have a letter from you which I can show to the Flahertys and others, to assist me in removing the unfavourable feeling which has been caused by the action of the agent in Galway. James Wylde, The Under Secretary for Immigration, "Wellington. Immigration Officer. I—D. 1.

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No. 2. Memorandum No. 200, 1873, for tho Aiient-Geneeal. In reply to your letter No. 509, of date 11th July last, with reference to Messrs. Birch, Seal on, and Farnall, I have again to observe that in the recommendation made to you by the Government of the day, that you should avail yourself of the services of these gentlemen in the capacity of immigration agents, there does not appear to have been any intention whatsoever that they should bo in any sense independent of your instructions. In pursuance of this view, immediately on the receipt of your telegram to the effect that these gentlemen were "costly and useless," I took occasion to remind you that under such circumstances the power of dispensing with their services rested entirely with yourself. G. Maurice O'Rorke. Immigration Office, Wellington, N.Z., 29th September, 1873.

No. 3. Memorandum No. 204, 1873, for the Agent-General. Referring to my Memorandum No. 196, 1873, of the 22nd instant, I have to request that you will forward me a copy of your instructions to local emigration agents, relative to emigrants nominated in the Colony. . G. Maurice O'Eohke. Immigration Office, Wellington, N.Z., 29th September, 1873.

No. 4. Memorandum No. 203, 1873, for the Agent-General. ATith reference to your letter No. 480, dated 11th July, 1573, upon the subject of German and Scandinavian emigration, wherein you state that the contractors for the supply of emigrants had intimated to you that it was quite out of their power to carry out the provisions of tho contract, and that you had entered into arrangements with another firm, I must remark that tho information afforded is exceedingly meagre ; and I shall be glad if you will explain why steps were not taken to enforce tho original contract, and what are the terms and conditions of the " arrangements with another firm." G. Maueice O'Eobice. Immigration Office, AVellington, N.Z., 29th September, 1873.

No. 5. Memorandum No. 213 a, 1873, for the Agent-G\Enjebal. In your letter of 13th June (No. 423,1873), commenting on my complaints of 12th April (No. Go, 1873) in respect to the suffering and discomfort that had to be endured by emigrants under the contract with Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., you contradict me in the following terms: —" I beg respectfully to point out that this statement is not borne out by the reports of your own local Immigration Commissioners." I cannot understand how you could feel yourself justified in making use of that language, seeing that the same mail that took my Memorandum to you also conveyed you intelligence of the convictions of the captains of the " Glenlora " and " Forfarshiro " for breaches of the Passengers Act, and the report of the Commissioners on the " Grlenlora " and " Charlotte Gladstone." The following extracts from the reports of the Commissioners will, I think, satisfy you of the incorrectness of your assertion quoted above. Extract from Commissioners' Report on " Grlenlora :"— " Very serious and apparently woll-founded complaints were made by the married people, that the preserved milk, sago, and other articles which are especially provided under the terms of the contract for the use of the young children, were not supplied excepting for a short time after leaving England, and since revictualling at the Mauritius. That those articles had been short served was acknowledged by the captain and purser, but was attempted to be accounted for by the assertion that the surgeonsuperintendent, at the commencement of the voyage, had ordered a larger quantity of these articles to be served out than the contract allowance. We are, however, of opinion that there is not sufficient evidence of this to account for the subsequent deficiency "We are unable to recommend the pajauent of the usual gratuity to Captain Culbert; and as the matron was dismissed from her post by the surgeon-superintendent in the early part of the voyage, as being unfitted for its duties, we are unable to recommend any gratuity in her case also. In this case, it appears to us that as no sufficient reason is alleged for depriving the single women of the use of the bathroom, the only conclusion to bo drawn is, that it was taken away for the convenience of the chief cabin passengers. We consider that the bathroom to be provided for the single women should be kept for their exclusive use ; and that no circumstances can justify their being deprived of so necessary a provision for their health and cleanliness, and that prohibition of its use involves a breach of the contract with Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. We are also of opinion that the failure of necessary provision four days before the arrival of the ' Glenlora ' in port is not sufficiently accounted for by the additional demand made on the stores for the supply of the crew from the 'Dor Fuchs,' and that the captain of the ' Glenlora' and her agents were not justified in allowing the ship to leave the Mauritius with so slender a provision against the contingency of a lengthy voyage " Mr. A. P. Haleombc, —The single women per ship ' Glenlora,' whose names are appendetl, wish me to inform you that on the 22nd January, 1873, they were told that they could no longer use the

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' bathroom,' and tlie door leading out of their cabin to it was locked. One of the single women complained about it to the captain, who told her he would have her put in irons. Before that date, they were obliged to use the same water as the saloon passengers or mates had used, the pumps being removed after a certain hour. The single women also kejit their provisions and tins in the bathroom, and when it was taken away they were told <o keep them under their beds, which they refused to do, saying they would tell the Immigration Agent on their arrival at Wellington ; the captain then had two little shelves put up at the side of the cabin door. —E. Kedwaed, Matron (signed by six single women)." Extracts from report of Commissioners on the " Charlotte Gladstone :" — "5. The bedding supplied to the immigrants was infamous, refuse apparently from dust heaps having been put up in clean ticking. Some of the immigrants thought that there was vermin>in it, and one man positively swore that two days after sailing lie threw his bedding overboard, as it was swarming with vermin. There is no doubt that many of the beds were thrown overboard early on the voyage, and that those who threw them over preferred sleeping on the boards of the bunks to keeping the beds. Every kind of disease might lurk in such material as these beds were made of. The blankets also were very bad. " G. The ship was not ready for passengers on the day fixed for embarkation, and cargo was received after they were on board. This is contrary to the conditions of contract between the Agent-General and Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. ; but the confusion on board an emigrant ship on sailing appears insuperable from the system of embarking immigrants without collecting them previously at a depot. "7. The medical inspection was insufficient. It appears that, in the case of nominated and selected emigrants, all that is required is a certificate from some medical man whom the emigrant may choose, before the contract ticket is given. And in the case of the Brogden emigrants, the medical examination was conducted by a medical man appointed by Messrs. Brogden, who examined the men only. The women and children of these emigrants do not appear to have been medically examined at all before embarkation. There is no examination of the emigrants collectively by any medical officer appointed by the Agency. Tho examination on board at Gravesend by the medical officer appointed by the Emigration Officer appears to be too much a matter of form. " The surgeon reports 57 cases of fever amongst the immigrants, and 3 amongst the crew. It is impossible to trace the outbreak of fever to any one cause ; but the following predisposing causes are sufficient to account for the illness on board, and for the mortality which ensued upon its outbreak: — " The weak, underfed, and dirty condition of some of the emigrants. "The disgraceful material of the bedding supplied. " The presence on board of the pigs which wore provided for the cabin table. Although efforts were made to keep the pig-styes clean, these pigs were a serious nuisance to the single men, as the styes were close to the hatchway opening into their compartment, and the effluvium was carried below. The pigs' dirt from tho decks was also carried down on the men's boots. A strong impression prevails amongst the emigrants that much of the illness was due to the presence of these pigs on board. "The dirty habits of tho emigrants, and the want of discipline, which should have been very strict in such a crowded ship. " The conclusions we have arrived at, after considering the evidence before us, is, that tho system of shipping emigrants in England for New Zealand is faulty, and that most of the evils that have occurred in the case of the 'Charlotte Gladstone' are attributable to the faulty system." Extracts from report of Commissioners on " Eorfarshire," forwarded on 14th March; but the conviction of the captain, having been obtained subsequently, was communicated to you on 14th April: — " Hero again the people appeared satisfied with the treatment received, and many spoke in high terms both of the captain and surgcon-superiutendent. But when all had passed in review, several came forward with a very serious complaint of the scarcity of water throughout the voyage ; and from statements made by them, the Commissioners came to the conclusion that only about two-thirds of the legal allowance had been issued, and that great inconvenience and some suffering had resulted. " While making this complaint, these poor people also stated that there had been a great scarcity of soap, as of water, which accounted for their unwashed and untidy appearance. Upon making inquiry, the captain stated that, in consequence of defective tanks, he had lost about three weeks' supply of water by leakage ; also that the condensing apparatus was defective, having several tubes in the boiler burst, and that actually, on arrival in port, ho had only two days' supply of water on their limited scale, and not more than one ton of coal on board. Tho Commissioners do not think it necessary to dilate upon this state of affairs in a ship carrying such a cargo, and at the termination of an average passage. In explanation of the scarcity of soap, the captain said that only about 25 per cent, of the proper allowance had been put on board ; through some neglect the soap had not been shipped." . " On deck the latrines for males and females were simply abominable, both in construction and capacity; the ingress and egress being in the most public part of the ship, making their necessity a serious dread and anxiety to women possessed of the slightest feeling of decency. The hatchways and ladders were of the cheapest and most inconvenient description, being low booby hatches and ladders without backs or hand rails, offering no protection or assistance to persons passing up and down." I have brought the cases of these three ships specially under your notice at the same time with my complaint, and have made the above quotations from the Commissioners' reports, as it appears to me almost incredible that if you had perused these reports you would have committed yourself to the assertion that my complaints were not borne out by the reports of the Immigration Commissioners. Finally, I must observe, in reference to the statement contained in the last paragraph of your letter under reply, that immigrants have been invited and almost solicited to prefer complaints, is a statement which ought not to have been hazarded without your furnishing tho grounds of your opinion. If you have such grounds, the Government request you will at once communicate them. Immigration Office, Wellington, 29th September, 1873, G. Matteice O'Koeke.

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No. G. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Aoent-Geseeal. (No. 214.) Sir, — Immigration Department, Wellington, 13th October, 1873. I have the honor to enclose copy- of a telegram which was forwarded on the 11th inst. per s.s. " Tararua" for Melbourne, with instructions that it should bo transmitted thence per Java cable. I have, <fee., The Agent-General for Now Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. G. (Telegram.) October 11, 1873. Air Immigration Minister. Correspond direct. Address telegrams " Vogel, Melbourne," forwarding arranged. Your telegram about short shipments reached us when Colony much complaining want labour. Although numbers increased, immigrants wholly inadequate. Government decided that until otherwise instructed you aro to grant free passages; also, if necessary, advance expenses to port embarkation and outfit. But exercise great stringency in selection. Government doubt efficiency of selection by agents paid per emigrant ; prefer trusting officers paid salary. To prevent short shipments and increase emigration, keep emigrants in depot in advance of ships sailing, to enable you fill every vessel. To prevent short shipments, send emigrants for any port New Zealand, for transhipment on arrival. This direction only to prevent short shipment. Otherwise send emigrants direct to destination. Besides October ship for Napier, send with utmost despatch another ship ; Ormond wants thousand immigrants quickly as possible. Endeavour charter two fine fast steamers leave early December, one Canterbury, one Otago, each bring six to eight hundred emigrants. Follow this instruction though steamers cost twenty pounds per adult, though anticipate less. Positively preclude steamers touching Australian port. Try through respectable brokers get Cunard or other first-cla3s steamers, show how pleasantly passage may be made. Besides these steamers, push on emigration to all parts of Colony utmost consistent with careful selection, by granting free passages to all suitable emigrants, and widely announcing same. Glad if during six months you could send twenty thousand. Don't send all from England. Try despatch some ships from Glasgow, Belfast, Queenstown. Continue sending Scandinavians, Germans. Consider these instructions imperative. Fully cable proceedings consequent thereon. Suggest try obtain co-operation of organization Joseph Arch connected with. Would you like lecturer, and some persons acquainted with Colony suitable for agents sent you ? Featherston, London. ■ Vogel.

No. 7. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 218.) Sib, — Immigration Department, "Wellington, 21st October, 1873. I have the honor to enclose to you six copies of "The Immigrants Land Act, 1873," and I very earnestly request that you will use your utmost exertions to insure that effect may be given to its provisions. Tou will observe that immigrants who pay their own passages to the Colony will be entitled, under certain conditions as to occupation and cultivation, to have purchased on their account £20 worth of land in any part of the Colony they may select, at any time within five years after their arrival. This provision applies not only to heads of families, but to all members of a family for whom the passagemoney is paid. There are also in the Act provisions under which arrangements for free grants of land can be made with persons or associations who pay for the. passage of immigrants, but such arrangements will have to be made under regulations approved of by the Governor in Council. All emigrants coming under the Act will have to be approved of by yourself or by some one appointed by you. I have to suggest that you publish widely in the newspapers, a notice to the effect of the one appended hereto, and that you appoint special agents to canvass amongst small farmers in all parts of the United Kingdom, with the view of obtaining applications iv terms of the Act. I feel sure that many persons who would not be willing to accept free or assisted passages, and who might not be inclined to emigrate under ordinary conditions, would be willing to pay their own and their families' passages, on condition of receiving such a return as that proposed. It may further be a question for your consideration, whether this class of immigrants should not be sent out in ships specially chartered for the purpose, and not in the ordinary immigrant ships. I must leave to yourself the adoption of such machinery as you consider most desirable for procuring these emigrants ; and I need not attempt to instruct you how to use such machinery, as you are well aware of the class of persons the Government desire that the Act may be the means of inducing to emigrate —the class, namely, of which some members of each family would be willing to settle upon land. I would not by any means suggest that it is necessary such persons should have a skilled knowledge of agricultural pursuits. ' Very large numbers of those who are now farming with more or less success in Canterbury, Otago, and elsewhere were not brought up to the occupation. As you will observe in another despatch which I will forward this mail, I am under the impression that the most valuable aid to obtaining emigrants is the publicity you are able to give to your notices. I have to suggest, therefore, that you seek the permission of the Imperial Government to post your notices at the country

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post offices. I have moved His Excellency the Governor to make the request to the Secretary of State. Amongst the class of persons who deposit moneys in the Savings Banks, you would probably find the most desirable persons to take advantage of the Act under consideration. If you can obtain a list of the depositors, I recommend you to enclose to each, through the post, a copy of the Act, and of your notices under it. If you arc able to arrange with any associations for the introduction of immigrants upon plans which might bo authorized under the powers given by the Act, there will bo no difficulty in having the necessary regulations framed and proclaimed, but it is better that such regulations should not be made without your advice, unless to meet any case of special settlement agreed upon in the Colony. You will observe that it is stipulated by the Act that such regulations shall provide that no Crown grants of the land shall be issued unless the provisions as to cultivation and occupation have been strictly complied with. There are two ways in which it appears to me the provisions of the Act in respect to associations may bo made available. They may be used to induce co-operative settlements, in which, beyond a small individual holding to each family, the land to be assigned to the immigrants may be worked on joint account for a fixed period of years. They may also be used by associations which would covenant to introduce a certain number of immigrants and settle them on land. These associations might select the immigrants, pay their passages, place them in a position to properly farm their lands, receiving repayment with interest. In this case, Crown grants could only be issued as the immigrants were settled, and the requisite proportion of the land brought under cultivation. You will readily see the many variations agreements of this nature would be susceptible of; r.q., the associations might consist of two classes of members, as in the case of building societies, one class investing and the other borrowing. Should you think it desirable to appoint any one on the Continent, or even in America, to approve of emigrants under the Act, it will bo useful for you to remember that under "The Aliens Act, 1570," every alien friend in the Colony is entitled to all the rights of holding property, the same as if he were a natural-born subject of Her Majesty. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Yogel.

Enclosure in No. 7. [Suggested Notice.] Pree Land Grants in New Zealand. Notice to intending Immigrants, especially to those who desire to Settle upon Land. Tup: Agent-General for New Zealand is ready to receive applications from persons who arc willing to pay their own passages to New Zealand, and who, upon registering their names and the names of the members of their families for whose passages they propose to pay, will be entitled to free grants of land in the Colony. All information upon the subject can be obtained from the Agent-General for New Zealand, 7, Westminster Chambers, &c. ; or from

No. 8. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genehal. (No. 219.) Sin, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1573. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of July 31st, No. 532, enclosing copy of correspondence with Mr. 0. W. Turner, and stating that an arrangement had been made with Messrs. Shaw, Sivill, and Co., to provide passages for the emigrants leaving England during August, for New Zealand; which arrangement you explain to have been made mainly with the view of relieving the Government from a very heavy charge by Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., on account of short shipments. It is to be hoped that the necessity for an arrangement of the kind will not again arise, since, as I intimated to you by telegram, copy of whicli is enclosed in my letter of October loth, No. 211, it is, in the opinion of the Government, desirable that you should constantly keep in depot a number of emigrants, in advance of any ship's sailing, so that short shipments may be avoided. AVith the instruction to give free passages, and the discretion to make advances, if necessary, to enable the emigrants to reach the port of shipment, as explained in the telegram already mentioned, you should have no difficulty in filling all ships for which you have to provide emigrants, while you still comply with the instruction to use the "utmost stringency in selection, so as not to ship any persons who arc not fitted to become good colonists. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vqgkl.

No. 9. (No. 220.) The Hon. J. Vooel to the Agent-Geneual. Sik, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1873. I enclose you a letter addressed to Mr. J. S. Wright, of Birmingham, with previous correspondence.* * Previous correspondence is printed in D. la, 1873, p. C.

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You will be so kind as to consider that such of the assurances conveyed in my letter as relate to yourself are designed to be instructions to you, to which you will oblige me by giving effect. I have further to ask your cordial co-operation in enlisting Mr. Arch's sympathy for the Colony, and I bog you will personally interest yourself in communicating with him and his associates. Should he, as I believe is likely, bo absent in America, communicate with those who remain to represent him. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 9. The Hon. J. Vogel to Mr. J. S. "Wright. Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1573. I havo the honor to communicate with you upon the subject of your letter of the 15th May, 1873, to the Colonial Secretary, in which you enclosed a memorial of the Committee of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union. Since the reply sent to you by the Under Secretary for Immigration, the Government of New Zealand have found it necessary, in the interest of the immigration so urgently required, to make more liberal the terms under which assistance is granted. A few days since, the Agent-General of New Zealand was instructed by cable to give, until further instructed, free passages to suitable emigrants, exercising a vigorous scrutiny as to their fitness. The high character both for ability and for unflinching honesty of purpose which Mr. Joseph Arch enjoys, the reputation for which is widely current throughout the Colony, induces mo to ask you without any delay to inform the Association with which he is connected, that the free passages sought for in the memorial forwarded by you are now being granted. The Association should at once communicate with the Agent-General, Dr. Featherston, 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, and arrange with that gentleman for the selection of such a number of emigrants as may be agreed on. If the Association will place the Agent-General in the position to choose those persons who are suited to become settlers in the Colony, it may rely that all reasonable assistance will be granted the persons selected on arrival to enable them to obtain employment. Every industrious immigrant who is blessed with good health may rely on success in the Colony. The demand for labour is ample, the rate of wages high, the cost of living sufficiently reasonable to enable frugal persons to make considerable savings. After a time these savings should enable the immigrant to cultivate land, which ho may acquire on very reasonable terms ; and in fine, the position of a prosperous farmer is open to the immigrant who lands on the shores of New Zealand, no matter how poor he may be, if he is only gifted with temperate habits, frugality, and industry. I may add that the immigrant will find special facilities for the education of his children on easy terms. Should Mr. Arch, or some one appointed by him, be inclined to visit New Zealand to report to the Association on its capabilities, the Agent-General will grant him or his nominee a free passage out and home ; and his expenses in the Colony for a reasonable time, say for six months, will be provided. It will give the Government pleasure to have the resources of the Colony reported on by an unprejudiced and intelligent representative of the Agricultural Xiabourers Union. I am not able to assure you that we shall continue for a lengthened period to give free passages. I have, &c., Julius Vogel, John S. Wright, Esq., . Minister for Immigration. Chairman, Liberal Association, Birmingham.

No. 10. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 221.) Sir, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 22nd October, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 29th July, No. 514, referring to Memoranda by the Hon. Mr. O'Korke with respect to immigrants for Hawke's Bay. The Government will be glad if you will continue to endeavour to the utmost to fulfil the requirements of the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay. It may be, as you say, cheaper to send emigrants for that Province to Wellington for transhipment; but you must not allow any small possible saving to induce you to abstain from sending emigrants direct. Indeed —as was observed in a telegram which was forwarded from Wellington on the 11th October, and copy of which is enclosed in my letter of 13th October, No. 214, by this mail—the only circumstances in which I can recognize that it is desirable you should send emigrants for transhipment are, that you have a vessel about to sail, and are unable to Jill her with emigrants for the port to which she is to proceed, or that you cannot obtain a direct ship. "Whenever a sufficient number of emigrants can be obtained, it is desirable that they should be sent direct to their destination. I have to thank you for the exertions you promise to use to obtain the vine-growers required by the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay. I have, &C, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London, Julius Vooel.

(No. 221.)

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No. 11. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genekal. (Xo. 223.) Sir, —■ Immigration Office, "Wellington, 21st October, 1573. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 496, of 11th July, commenting upon the instructions given you with regard to granting more liberal terms to emigrants. I do not recognize the inconsistency of the two passages you quote from Mr. O'Rorke's Memoranda. In his first Memorandum he reminded you of the authority you possessed, and expressed the opinion that unless you found it necessary you would not use it. In "the second he complained that notwithstanding the necessity having arisen, you did not avail yourself of the authority. Since I have given you directions until further instructed to grant free passages, I may observe that Ido not concur in the objections you seem to see to such a course. In the Despatch under notice you refer to your Despatch of 16th May. In that Despatch I find you urge certain reasons against adopting a system of free emigration. The substance of your objections I understand to be that persons who have already emigrated would have reason to object if others subsequently had better terms offered them. As well might the person who sold Consols to-day object to deliver because to-morrow the market rate increased, or as well might those who have paid their own passage to the Colony object to assisted immigration in any shape, as the persons already assisted object to your offering larger assistance to others. It must be clearly understood that the Government of New Zealand arc at liberty to fix their own conditions at any time, and from time to time, for assisting or promoting immigration, fulfilling of course any existing contracts. It may suit the Colony to grant free passages sometimes, and at other times assisted passages on more or less favourable terms. In each case there is a bargain as to thepresent, without any restraint as to the future. In respect to Messrs. Brogden's contract, the only effect it appears to me that a sj-stcm of freepassages would have on it would be, that supposing they continued to carry on their contract they might feel it difficult to procure emigrants on the terms they were empowered to give, and therefore might ask you in respect to such additional emigrants to sanction more favourable terms. Similar remarks apply to the German contracts. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 12. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agevi-General. (No. 227.) Slß,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 21st October, 1573. "With reference to the proposed special settlement in the Province of Auckland, under the leadership of Mr. Stewart, the Government have received your letter No. 50G, of 11th July last, and your cablegram of 26th August, informing them that you are in communication with Mr. Stewart, and that you will send full particulars by post. I have to express my gratification to find that (he scheme is not likely to fall through, as was at one time apprehended in the Colony, and that you have assured Mr. Stewart of your readiness to afford him all the assistance in your power in the promotion of his scheme. I presume that at the date of your cablegram of 26th August, you were in receipt of Hon. Dr. Pollen's cablegram of 7th August, and that there will be no difficulty in giving effect to the wishes of the Government with regard to this scheme, to which they attach great importance. It must, however, be olearly understood that the settlement is in no way to bo connected with any party organization. Ido not object to emigrants being bound together by a common religious belief. Such a tie, as witness the settlements of Otago and Canterbur7, is often most efficacious in laying the foundations of a contented, orderly, successful, and well-conducted community. But the organization to winch Mr. Stewart refers is one, I believe, which does not confine itself to the adoption of a religious belief, but is also based on hostility to the followers of another creed. I am sure, however, in this matter you will readily understand my views, knowing as you do that perfect religious freedom prevails in the Colony. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 13. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 228.) Sin, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 21st October, 1873. I have the honor lo acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 30th July, No. 525, explanatory of the dismissal of Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Faro all. I have not any observation to make with respect to the course which, in pursuance of the discretion left to you, you have adopted with those three gentlemen. . The printed circular, signed " George Yesey Stewart," which you enclosed in your letter, is open to the objection that it contains an appeal to a party organization, with which, as also against which, it would not be right the Government should be identified. There is one passage of 3 rour letter upon which I desire to remark. Tou write, " I have already complained of the manner in which these appointments (of Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Farnall) were made, without my having been communicated with or consulted on the subject; and I have more than once, in my correspondence with the Government, expressed my conviction that the appointments were wholly unnecessary, and that no adequate results would follow."

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I cannot admit that the Government, before appointing persons to aid you in promoting emigration, are bound to consult or to communicate with you respecting them. I admit that it may be more convenient you should be consulted or communicated with, because, no doubt, the success of any appointments which may bo made will very much depend upon the extent to which you are willing to concur in them. It is in great measure for that reason that Ido not now make appointments without your concurrence, for I am of opinion that officers of the kind contemplated when Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Farnall were sent home are required. I beg you to understand that I do not assert this right of the Government because of anything arising out of your management of the Agency. I look upon it as an inherent right of the Government, whoever may hold the office of Agent-General, to instruct him to use the services of such officers as the Government may appoint to select emigrants, and to afford information respecting the Colony to intending emigrants ; and I am of opinion that the Agent-General, whoever may hold the office, should feel it to be his duty to aid the persons so appointed, in order that they may have the largest possible opportunities of carrying out the wishes of the Government. * I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vooel.

No. 14 The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 231.) Sik,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 23rd October, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 11th July, covering a proposal of Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. to carry emigrants to the Colony, at the termination of the existing contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company, for the sum of twelve guineas per adult if under such a contract as they had last year, or at the rate of £13 10s. per adult if under a contract similar to the one they have had this year. A similar offer lias been made to the Government by Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co.'s agents at Christ church, Messrs. Miller and Co. and Messrs. Dalgetty, Nicholls, and Co., with detailed rates of freight. It is extremely gratifying to the Government to find that at last there is a tendency to lower the rates of passage to this Colony, and that there is a probability that in future you will not be subjected to such charges as £17 per adult which were imposed upon you in May last by Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., or to the reception of tenders from the same firm at £18 19s. per adult to Canterbury, and £18 9s. per adult to Wellington, as you were in April last. In another letter forwarded by this mail I advise you of the course the Government desire you to follow upon the termination of the present contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. Julius Vogel.

No. 15. The Hon. J. Yogel to the Agent-General. (No. 232.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 23rd October, 1873. Herewith are forwarded copies of the new regulations for free nominated emigration, and of the forms of application thereunder. The last arc being freely circulated through the Colony, and doubtless will be largely used. The lists of persons nominated —or perhaps it would be more correct to say recommended—will be sent to you as usual. Erom them you will be able to select useful emigrants. I must impress on you that you are not bound to despatch the persons nominated if you think they are not likely to prove desirable additions to the population of the Colony. It would be well for you to take the necessary steps to secure adequate information about each family recommended before issuing the contract tickets. I shall not complain of any expense that may be necessary to enable you to arrive at a prompt conclusion. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 15. Feee Nominated Immigration. . (Extract from Order in Council, 15th October, 1873.) , Eegulations foe the conduct of Immigration to New Zealand, on the Nomination of Immigkants by Persons resident therein. 1. Any person resident in the Colony, desirous of nominating relatives or friends in Europe for passages to New Zealand, may do so by applying to an Immigration Officer, in the form at foot, copies of which can be obtained at all Immigration and Post Offices. The persons nominated, if approved by the Immigration Officer and the officers of the Homo -Agency, will receive free passages to the Colony. 2. Every adult emigrant will be required, before embarkation, to pay, unless specially remitted by the Agent-General, 20s. (and children in proportion), for bedding, blankets, and mess utensils.

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3. The cost of conveyance to the port (unless the Agent-General agrees to pay it), and to the residence of their friends after arrival in the Colony, must be defrayed by the emigrants themselves. 4. All the ships employed in this service will be under the provisions of the Passenger Act. 5. It is to be distinctly understood, that notwithstanding the applications are forwarded to the Agent-General by the Immigration Officers, the Agent-General in London may refuse passages where the intending emigrants are in ill-health, or in any way unfitted, according to his judgment, to emigrate. 6. Tho Regulations issued upon 21st April, 1873, for the payment of bonuses to the nominators upon the arrival of the nominated immigrants, are hereby rescinded; and no certificates for the payment of such bonuses will be given after the date hereof. To the Immigration Officer, ,187 . I have the honor to state that, in my opinion, the persons named below would be not unwilling to emigrate to New Zealand, and would be desirable colonists. I have, therefore, to advise that such persons should be communicated with, and invited to emigrate to the Colony. I have, &c, Name Address (if the recommender does not know tho Supposed age address, he will state where the address can Family (particulars 'of family as accurately as be obtained) possible) Trade or occupation

Enclosure 2 in No. 15. , 187 . Unless the recommendation heloio is disapproved of, Dear , it will he forwarded to the Agent-General, ivho I have advised the Immigration Officer will exercise his discretion as to providing the hero that I think you would bo willing to cmi- persons recommended loith free passages. grate to New Zealand. I advise you to come To the I MMIGBATION Officer, out to . If you are willing to come, you j§7 should apply to the Agent-General for New Zea- g IE land, 7 Westminster Chambers London, S.W., ' : ]iave the honor to state that> in my op i nion) from whom you will obtain all necessary par- the persons named below wou i<i be not unwilling ticulars. t 0 emigrate to New Zealand, and would be desirlours, &c, able colonists. I have, therefore, to advise that such persons . . should be communicated with, and invited to cmiP.S.—The writer can insert below any mfor- te to tho Colony, mation concerning the Colony, particulars of his j jj aye & c own success, or arguments in favour of his friends emigrating, that he pleases. Name Supposed age Family (particulars of family as accurately as possible.) Address (if the recommender does not know the address, he will state where the address can be obtained.) Trade or occupation N.B. —The person filling up this form will also fill up a letter to the person he wishes to emigrate, in the form upon the fly page. The letter will be forwarded to its destination post free, if the form is forwarded to tho Agent-General.

No. 16. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 233.) Sir, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 23rd October, 1873. Referring to your letter No. 422, of 13th June, 1873, in which you discuss at some length Mr. O'Rorke's Memorandum No. 65, of 12th April, 1573, I desire to remark that the deck upon which the emigrants have been berthed in most, if not all, of the ships chartered by you, corresponds with what is designated in subsection 3, section 14, of " The Passengers Act, 1855," as the " lower passenger deck." The Act apparently contemplates the employment of what are known as frigate-built ships—that is, ships having a main and lower deck. However, as you seem to bo satisfied that the present amount of superficial space allowed per adult is considered by the Emigration Commissioners as an " ample provision," I will not give definite instructions for its extension. At the same time I must express my conviction, that for so long a voyage it is most undesirable that there should be anything approaching to overcrowding on the emigrants' deck. "With regard to section 5 of your letter, I am unable to understand that the providing accommodation for a bath in the married people's compartment would entail such a heavy additional expense as you intimate, and I think it will prove very conducive to the health and comfort of the emigrants — especially of the children—that the means of personal cleanliness should be provided. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Voqel. 2. D.—l.

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No. 17. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Aoent-Gexehal. (No. 239.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 25th October, 1573. In communicating to you the fact already announced by telegram that I am acting as Minister for Immigration, allow me to express the hope that our relations will be of a cordial character, and that you will endeavour to give effect to the instructions it will be my duty from time to time to send you. Should you not wholly agree with those instructions, but at the same time see no radical objections to giving them effect, you should defer to the instructions rather than to your own personal views. Bnt if you do see serious objections to any instructions sent you, then 1 will ask you, unless they are wholly unimportant, not to make them the subject of a correspondence, which, from the distance, must bo protracted, but to state your objections by cablegram, and to abide the reply. I beg you to believe that in thus writing I have been guided by the friendly desire to avoid difficulties which I am aware have previously arisen. I proceed to give you my views on the subject of immigration. I may remark that they have been submitted to Cabinet, and received the approval of my colleagues who are present in Wellington. I sent you a few days since a telegram, copy of which is forwarded you by separate letter, directing you to grant free passages to emigrants until further instructed. In coming to the conclusion to grant free passages, the Government were guided by the conviction not only that an increased number of immigrants was. necessary, but also that it was desirable you should have and should exercise the largest power of selection. 2. Believing, as the Government do, that one suitable immigrant is worth any number of unsuitable immigrants, you will readily understand that any expense that a careful selection would entail is regarded by the Government not as additional expenditure, but as an exercise of economy. 3. I do not wish you to think that I am finding fault with the emigrants you have already sent. As I understand, your approval of emigrants now depends upon written certificates of character they furnish you. lam not aware if you verify these by personal inquiry. I should be glad to know if you do, and indeed I should be obliged by your sending me indiscriminately a batch of certificates and correspondence relating to a number of emigrants. It suggests itself to me that with the larger number of emigrants we require, you may find mere correspondence insufficient, and personal investigation desirable. Especially I think this will be the case with the very large number of recommendations or nominations you will in future receive. 4. I am causing inquiries to be made of emigrants who arrive here as to the reasons that induced them to emigrate. I have not had a sufficient number of answers to enable mo to come to a conclusion as to whether the experience of those from whom I have information is the experience of the bulk of the immigrants, but, as yet, I am led to believe that the majority of immigrants come to New Zealand because they have friends or relations there, because they have friends at homo with relations there, or in consequence of advertisements they have seen in Reynolds' or Lloyd's weekly papers, tho Telegraph, or the Labourer'1 s Union. lam unable to discover that tho local agents do much work ; very rarely they seem to be applied to for information, and then they give it cheerfully; but they do not induce or seek immigrants, nor, in the majority of the cases, do tho immigrants seem aware of their existence. 5. I should like your opinion as to whether it would not be well to gradually do away with tho local agents, substituting in their place your own paid agents, assigning to each a district, with instructions to travel through it periodically. The principle of paying agents at so much per emigrant is not a sound one, when you consider that an agent's duty should not bo to send all who apply, but to reject those whom he considers unsuitable. 6. I feel also that you are at a disadvantage, and that the Colony suffers through there being no one besides yourself connected with the Agency who possesses a competent knowledge of Xew Zealand. To some extent, I ought, perhaps, to except Mr. Carter and the Row Mr. Barclay. The want of persons acquainted with the Colony is so much felt here, that the various Provinces are sending homo, at their own expense, local agents. Ido not disguise from myself that, in tho absence of recognized discipline, these agents may cause you trouble and annoyance. 7. I invite you, therefore, to consider the subject, and advise me, if you do approve of my suggestion, to appoint paid agents instead of those you have at present. As I havo said, their cost will be an economy if they are the means of preventing unsuitable immigration. 8. I am of opinion that by diffuse advertising, by the assistance of those who, having already emigrated, will advise their friends to do tho same, and by the very largo number of nomination papers we will send you, you may place your local agents in the position of having an immense number of emigrants from whom to select. The task of selection would be most responsible and important; and I lay great stress upon the instructions sent you in a telegram already forwarded, to have always in depot emigrants ready to sail in advance of the ships. lam aware that this may be productive of expense ; but the plan of allowing the emigrants to come up only as the ship sails, and, if the ship is detained, of allowing them to find lodgings anywhere, must frequently entail the loss of some of the most desirable emigrants. On the other hand, a few days in depot, with submission to the routine and discipline prescribed, will do the emigrants good, and insure their leaving in a cleanly condition. Careful recruiting through the country, and depots for receiving the emigrants, should enable you to fill up all the ships you require to send. 9. The locale ot' the depot or depots you must yourself judge, as also whether or not more than one is necessary. You will bear in mind that the Government lay great stress on some of the ships sailing from Glasgow, Belfast, and Queenstown. The London ships would all call at Plymouth if you wished it. Ton will observe by a separate letter which I have written you, that I recognize the possibility, in the face of an oppressive, monopoly, of your suspending all shipping from London. 10. 1 take the opportunity of bringing under your notice several other questions connected with emigration.

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11. lam having prepared a pamphlet which I propose to edit myself. Tiie printed forms which I forward you will acquaint you of its proposed nature. I am afraid it will take some little time to prepare. I shall send it as soon as possible, with the request to have it printed in London, and to circulate it in large numbers. 12. It has been forcibly brought under my notice in reference to the " Punjaub," that in the case of illness prevail ing through the past-age, the ordinary medical comforts required for children and invalids (excepting alcoholic drinks) would be found quite inadequate. Instead of incurring the expense of insisting on the contractors furnishing a larger supply, it suggests itself to me that it would be better for you to ship a quantity of spare stores by each ship in charge of the medical officer, and so placed that in case of necessity he could get at them. They could be sold in the Colony if not required for use at the barracks. 13. You may consider yourself at liberty to assure emigrants that they will be well received on arrival; and if they are anxious for employment, care will be taken to enable them to obtain it. In case of there being no demand for labour at the particular ports at which they arrive, arrangements will be made for sending them into the interior, or to another part of the Colony. This, of course, you must not consider as an authority to invite emigrants to ship for one part of the Colony under the assurance of being transferred to another. On this subject I have in another letter explicitly stated that the only excuse for sending emigrants to another place than their intended destination must either be that the number of emigrants for that place, or other reasons, prevent a ship being engaged for such place, or that some emigrants are required to prevent a ship proceeding on her voyage short of complement. 14. I have to ask you not to send too many large families of young children. Married people having only young children, and more than two or three of these, have sometimes difficulty in procuring engagements. 15. There is no demand in the Colony for skilled artisans who have only a speciality for portions of the work of their trade ; Birmingham artisans seem generally of this class. The mechanics required are those who can complete all sorts of ordinary work : it is difficult to precisely describe my meaning, but you will understand me when I say there is more demand for all-round workmen than for those whose skill, however good, is limited to a speciality of an incomplete or fancy nature. 16. I have to strongly impress on you that the emigrants from Ireland are quite insufficient. ' The Government wish you to send ships with emigrants from Ireland, and not to be content with the Irish whom you obtain through your London Agency. The same remark applies to the Scotch and sending vessels from Scotland. 17. Whilst I am desirous you should continue to send Scandinavians, I must express the opinion that it is highly inexpedient to send them with British emigrants. Their habits are so dissimilar to those of our own countrymen that their being joined together causes dissatisfaction. 18. I have to inform you that we shall proceed against the shipowners in all cases of neglect to carry out their contracts rigidly. This will equally apply to any breach of the law as to any failure to provide the accommodation and food they contract for. I observe that this is in accordance with your own views, and lam asking tho Attorney-General to suggest provisions to be inserted in the contracts you enter into, which will enable us on this side to obtain a remedy from some one representing the contractors. You should invariably send the contracts or charter-parties by first mail after the ship leaves, and also duplicates by the ships themselves. 19. I will provide you with code phrases from time to time to reduce the cost of telegraphing. For example, please understand in future that the transmission simply of the name, or, if there are two words, of the most prominent portion of the name of a ship, means that that ship has safely arrived. For example —"Bouvcrie" would mean that the "E. P. Bouverie" had arrived. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 18. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agekt-Gejteeal. (No. 240.) Sib,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 27th October, 1873. I have to acknowledge your letter of 11th July, Xo. 501, in which you state that a suggestion I made to you in a telegram was " wholly "impracticable," and in which you proceed to show the commanding position in the shipping trade which you consider Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. occupy. I shall not unnecessarily renew the correspondence respecting Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. You already know the views of the Government on the subject, and that they do not agree with you that the monopoly of the firm was so unassailable as you were led to consider it. In regard to Mr. Turner's negotiations with Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., to which you refer, I have been informed that the Shipping Company disapproved of and summarily put an end to them. Regarding the suggestion, which you characterise as " wholly impracticable," I have to state that it was carefully considered in Cabinet. It was to this effect: ''Do not let Shaw, Savill, know when you want ships, but arrange for each, as wanted, privately, through respectable owners or brokers." I am under the impression that you did not realize the extent to which this direction was meant to empower you. It not only covered the power to arrange for passages or freights, but to engage ships. You surely cannot suppose that Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., are so powerful that brokers will not engage ships without consulting them. If that is your opinion, pray undeceive yourself by consulting some respectable, independent broker. He will tell you that, in a lew hours, he can engage you. a ship for any part of the world, without consulting Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. Indeed, you

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need not charter from a London house : you might charter a Liverpool vessel, as Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. did the " Douglas." lam prepared to admit that the chartering a ship outright would be an exceptional course; but, nevertheless, you must clearly understand the Government did desire you should adopt it, rather than be at the mercy of one firm, and be forced to enter into permanent contracts with them, or pay them exorbitant rates. You must not, however, suppose that I agree with you that shipping brokers would be unable to procure you, without Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co.'s knowledge, the exact freight and passenger accommodation you require. Seeing how large a portion of the ship you are able to engage, and tho profitable nature of the round trip after calling at a New Zealand port, I am of opinion that a broker would be able to arrange for your requirements, ship by ship, though he might not be able to get persons to run the risk of possible competition during a prolonged period. The contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company will shortly expire, and it is necessary I should place you in possession of the views of the Government on the course you should subsequently adopt. I may add, that the prolonged correspondence on the subject which has recently taken place has been of so little use, that I have to ask you to consider what I am about to write as instructions to which the Government desire you to give preciss effect. The references which I have made in the first part of this letter were not designed to re-open a controversy, but to place you in possession of my views in case you should again be threatened with a dominating monopoly. Tho Government desire you will do all that can be done to prevent a monopoly of the London and New Zealand shipping trade again coming into existence. With this view, they instruct you, after the expiration of the present contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company, not to enter into any exclusive contract with that Company, with Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., or with any other Company. I am aware that Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. have offered to carry passengers at a low rate, for tho exclusive privilege of carrying them. You are to refuso any offers of the kind, without reference to their being favourable in price. The Government are willing that you should pay a fair price for emigrants' passages. They neither want the shipowner to lose nor to gain inordinately. They desire that tho business should be divided between distinct proprietaries engaged in the trade, working without collusion. They therefore wisli you to oft'er your business to the New Zealand Company, Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Company, and to the Albion Company if it matures, as well as to any other firm inclined to go into the trade and able to conduct the business properly. You are to pay what you consider fair rates, and to require tho accommodation and the ships you think desirable. The Government wish you to take a commanding position. This you can do if you will recollect that you are empowered to expend money, if necessary, to prevent your being subjected to another monopoly. I give you the following alternatives, if you find that you have to contend with a fresh monopoly :— You may either withdraw altogether from shipment from London, and ship from Liverpool and Glasgow, or you may charter vessels from London through brokers. You may, if practicable, charter them only to the extent of your requirements ; or you may charter them outright for a voyage to New Zealand, and, at your option, for a return voyago. Supposing you charter a ship outright, you will have to put in the fittings and provide the food and stores yourself. With respect to the spare freight, you would be able, through a shipping broker, to offer to take it at market rates, or, if there was a combination against you, at such reduced rates aa would make it the interest of independent shippers to take advantage of them. Should you, however, not be able to procure more freight than that which you yourself have to ship, you must despatch the ship short loaded. If you continue to show yourself determined, there would be no risk but that you would be able to dispose of all freight you could spare. Understand clearly, therefore, that you are to divide your London business between whatever firms arc willing to take it on reasonable terms ; and that if threatened witli an exacting monopoly, that refuses to do your business fairly, and requires you to enter into an exclusive contract extending over a period of time, you are either to withdraw all shipping business from London, or to charter ships yourself, if necessary chartering them upon terms that would- necessitate your fitting and providing them. Whether or not you continue to do business with London, the Government desire you to engage ships and to dispatch a portion of your emigrants from Glasgow, Quoenstown, and Belfast. Upon tho question of charter-parties, the Attorney-General advises that in future they should bo in the name of the Queen and the Agent-General severally, and in order that, in any case of breach of contract, proceedings may be taken in the Colony, the following clause should be inserted: — " The party of the second part hereby appoints as his agent in New Zealand to accept service in New Zealand of any writ of summons or other legal process or proceeding issued there at the suit of the Queen or the Agent-General for any breach of this contract or any penalty payable hercunder; and the party hereto of the second part contracts with the party hereto of the first part, that such party of the second part will not revoke such appointment without the permission of the party hereto of the first part first had and obtained, and that the said shall and will accept service of any such writ, process, or proceeding as aforesaid." I have, &c, The Agent-General for Now Zealand, London, Julius Yogel.

No. 19. The Hon. J. Yogel to the Agent-Ge^eeal. (No. 252.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 18th November, 1873. I have the honor to inform you that the Government have decided to permit, under certain circumstances, nominations by trade or calling, to be made by persons desirous of availing themselves

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of the services of friends at home in the selection of emigrants for specific employment. I cncloso for your information copies of the applications, and schedules authorized in such cases. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Jultus Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 19. Nominated Immigration.—Application foe Nomination by Calling. To the Immigration Officer, 187 . Sir,— I am about to send by the next mail instructions to of , to engage on my account [Sere insert number and calling of emigrants required], and I request that the AgentGeneral may be advised to forward them to upon due application to and approval by him. I am, Sir, &c, Address.

No. 20. The IJon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 255.) Sir, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 19th November, 1873. The question of sending ships direct to New Plymouth with emigrants, having been raised in the House of Representatives, during the last Session, by Major Atkinson, the Hon. G. M. O'Rorkc, then Minister for Immigration, replied that " Ho could assure the honorable member that the matter was not overlooked by the Government. Every endeavour was made to have Taranaki included in the contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company, but the Company absolutely refused to do so. The present contract had but a very short currency, and it would be the endeavour of the Government that future contracts should be so altered as to enable ships to go to Taranaki direct." I shall be glad if you will arrange, as speedily as possible, for vessels to call periodically at New Plymouth, with immigrants. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 21. The Hon. J. Yooel to the Agent-General. (No. 2G0.) Sin, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 20th November, 1873. I forward herewith a letter, with enclosure, from His Honor the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay, relative to the forms of application for passages and certificates, issued from your office to intending emigrants, and pointing out how entirely unsuited they are in the case of emigrants nominated by their friends in this Colony. As to the two points complained of by Mr. Shanly, I have to state that I think the requirements unsuited not only to nominated emigrants but also to ordinary emigrants. I have to instruct you to strike out from the form of application the words " to work for wages in my calling," but you may, if you think it desirable, insert the words " to reside and settle there." I think it very objectionable that a certificate should be required from householders that an intending emigrant has "' not the means of paying, in cash, a larger part of the passage money," than some amount stated; and I have to instruct you to excise the words from the form, so that no such requirement shall be applicable, in the case of any intending emigrants. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 21. His Honor J. D. Ormond to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Napier, 7th November, 1873. I hare the honor to forward to you the copy of a letter brought to me by a respectable tradesman in this place, of the name of Shanly, from his brother, who is a jeweller in Exeter. From Mr. Shanly's letter it appears that the forms which nominated emigrants have to sign, and the certificates they have to get in England, are both unnecessary and objectionable, and as great benefits are likely to accrue to the Colony from the free system of nominated immigration lately sanctioned by you, I trust you will consider it necessary to have the forms used in Great Britain so altered as to remove what is obnoxious to the better class of immigrants, and so facilitate the introduction of such persons to the Colony. I have, &c, J. D. Oemond, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Superintendent. Wellington.

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Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 21. Extuact of Letter from Mr, Siianlt. My Dear Bbotiiek,— 20, Queen Street, Exeter, 26th August, 1873. I have safely received the passage ticket, for which, whether I use it or not, I give you my best thanks. I have communicated with Mr. Ifeatherston, Agent-General for New Zealand, and in return have been, so to speak, inundated with a lot of official papers, one of which informs me that official notification has been received by him of the purchase of the ticket in Napier, and informing me that the first ship sails for Napier on 28th October next. Some of the papers sent to me for filling rather grate against my feelings, they seem so much, as it were, in forma pauperis, and in no place in any of them do I see any allusion to circumstances when the passage has been prepaid. One of them is a certificate from two householders, who must declare their belief that I can't pay more, and as I have not to pay anything, and they don't know what you can pay, how can any one certify to this ? Among others is one that " I fully intend to work for wages in the Colony," which I don't. Mr. Culley, the agent here, says no doubt the prepayment supersedes much of these forms, but he does not seem to fully comprehend the matter. I suppose prepayment is not common. William A. Siianlt.

No. 22. Tho Hon. J. Vooel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 2C3.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Christchurch, 24th November, 1573. By a telegram which was despatched from Wellington on the 20th October, you were instructed to " send shipload immigrants direct Bluff." You had previously been communicated with respecting the necessity for arranging that, at tho least, ships should frequently call at tho Bluff and land some immigrants there, so that I do not doubt that, before receiving this letter, you will have despatched a vessel in compliance with the telegram I have quoted. The demand for labour in all parts of Otago is, and is likely to continue, so great, that a supply of immigrants for the Southland district cannot be obtained out of those arriving in vessels chartered for Port Chalmers. I shall therefore be glad if you will arrange for ships calling at the Bluft' with immigrants, at intervals of about six weeks. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Jtjlius VogeJj.

No. 23. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 264.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Christchurch, 24th November, 1873. Referring to my previous letters respecting the " Punjaub," I now enclose for your information printed reports of the evidence, &c, in proceedings before the Magistrates here, against the captain of that ship, together with a. memorandum by the Crowa Solicitor, and a report on the cases generally, by the Immigration. Officer. As to the case respecting the fittings of the " Punjaub," I desire to direct your attention to the fact that, by the decision of the Magistrates, the approval of the fittings at home shuts out any remedy here, no matter how bad those fittings may prove. The Magistrates moreover consider that the clearance of the ship affords proof of the fittings having been approved. The Act requires the fittings to be approved by the Emigration Officers; but the charter-party requires the approval of someone appointed by you. lam not clear whether you do not allow the Emigration Officer to act for you. At any rate, if any officer of yours gave a certificate in the case of the " Punjaub" he must have given it before the fittings were completed. Under the terms of the charter-party, it seems that the approval of your officer shuts out any subsequent remedy, no matter how unsatisfactory the fittings may prove to be. I judge from previous correspondence that you have more confidence in the officers of the Emmigration Commissioners than I have. From information which I have received, and which I regard as trustworthy, I am led to believe that those officers constantly accept remuneration from the persons interested in vessels. Be that as it may, I have the honor to positively instruct you that you place no reliance whatever in the examinations of the officers of the Commissionei's. I desire, no matter what the expense, that the fittings of the' vessels be examined by an officer appointed by yourself, and responsible solely to you. You should rigidly insist on the condition that the fittings are completed at least twenty-four hours before the time appointed for the emigrants to go on board the ship. I have to request that you will in every case send to me by first mail a copy of your officer's certificate. Seeing how much the comfort, and even the lives of passengers, may be imperilled by negligence on the part of officers appointed by you to give the certificate, I have to urge upon you to require that the inspection by those officers shall be complete and most careful as to every detail of the fittings. It is of so much importance that the medical comforts and medicines should be on board, and should be of good quality, that I suggest to you to appoint some one to examine the comforts and drugs, and to vouch for their being in proper quantity. I have already instructed you to send surplus supplies of medical comforts other than strong drinks. The charter-party appears defective in another particular, inasmuch as the bond for its performance is to the Agent-General, and I am advised that only the Agent-General can recover under it. I addressed you on this subject last mail. I commend to your notice the remarks of Mr. Duncan, the Crown Solicitor, forwarded herewith.

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As you have expressed the opinion that the Government should recover in all cases of breach of contract, you will readily recognize the necessity of guarding against technical difficulties. I think it might bo well for you to take professional advice as to the form of the charter-party, submitting at the same time the suggestions and observations on the subject I have had the honor to forward you. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No.- 23. Mr. J. E. Maech to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sm, — Immigration Office, Christchurch, 21st November, 1873. I have the honor to report that, in accordance with your instructions, proceedings were taken against the captain of the ship " Punjaub " for breaches of the Passengers Act. I forward herewith a copy of the evidence, and beg respectfully to call your attention to one or two points contained therein. The first charge was for a breach of the 35th section of the Act, viz., for not supptying the proper allowance of water to the passengers on the voyage. By this section each passenger is entitled to three quarts of water daily, exclusive of the quantity specified as necessary for cooking the articles to be issued in a cooked state. The 31st section of the Act provides that an additional supply of pure water shall be shipped after the rate, of at least ten gallons for every day of the prescribed length of the Tovago for every one hundred statute adults on board. The charter-party, however, does not appear to'providc water for cooking. The net quantity to ho placed on board for every one hundred statute adults is 11,250 gallons, or at the rate of three quarts per da} r only. There is no mention made in the Act as to the articles which arc to bo issued in a cooked state. I name this as the Bench were not all agreed on this subject. The next point to which I wish to call attention is the contract ticket issued to the passengers. By section 71 of the Act, the contract ticket shall be signed by the owner, charterer, or master of the ship, or by some person in their or his name, and on their or his behalf; this was not done in the case of the " Punjaub," the only signature to the contract ticket being William G. McKcllar. I think it also right to mention that as the scale of provisions issued to passengers in the New Zealand Government ships is different to that laid down under the Passengers Act, it is essential that the issue of such provisions should be authorized by the Emmigration Commissioners and published in the London Gazette, in accordance with the 37th section of the Act. During the hearing of the cases against the " Punjaub," so many technical objections were raised that I deem it my duty to draw your attention to this subject, in order that steps mny be taken to comply with the requirements of the Act. I attach a memorandum from the Crown Solicitor on the subject. I have, &c, J. E. March, Immigration Officer. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 23. Memorandum by Crown Solicitor on Defects in Charter-Party. Be "Punjaub" and "Adamant." Referring to the prosecution in the case of the former ship, and the intended prosecution against the latter, the Crown Solicitor would point out that it is by no means clear that the Government can (in this Colony) recover on the charter-parties, the contract evidenced by each charter-jjartv being made in England, and there being no statutory provision giving jurisdiction here to the neccssarv tribunals who would have to adjudicate upon the due performance of the contract. The Colonial Legislature have provided for hired servants being able to recover here on contracts with employers of labour entered into in England, and it seems to me that a somewhat similar provision is required in order to make the charter-party of any avail in the Colon} r. The penalty mentioned in the 36th clause of the charter-party should be fixed as liquidated and ascertained damages, and provision should be made for the recovery of this penalty. Although the Passengers Act enables a passenger to recover damages for breach of his contract ticket, yet I doubt much if the contract tickets of these ships could successfully be put in suit, inasmuch as the 71st section of the Passengers Act requires each contract ticket to be signed by the owner, charterer, or master of the ship, or by some person in their or his name, and on their or his behalf; and by the form of ticket in the Schedule to the Act, it is directed that the party issuing the same must sign his Christian names and surname and address in full. The contract tickets of these ships do not comply with these requirements, being signed by Mr. McKellar (who I am told is a Government officer), his Christian'and surname not being signed in full, his address not given, nor does he sign on any person's behalf. The dietary scale in these contract tickets differs from that prescribed by the Act, being on a more liberal scale, and should have been certified and gazetted in the London Gazette, as required by the 7lst section, and copies of such Gazette forwarded to the Colony as evidence. t In the absence of a duly executed and admissible contract ticket, and seeing also that by the lastmentioned section all directions contained on the faco of the ticket are directed to be obeyed as if set forth in the Act, I think no passenger could succeed. Tiios. S. Duncan, Christchurch, 21st November 1873. Crown Solicitor.

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No. 24. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 2GG.) Sic, — General Government Offices, Christchurch, Ist December, 1873. I have the honor to forward to you the attached copy of a memorandum by the Commissioners of Audit. I have to request that you will inform me whether you advise the retention of part of tho passage money of emigrants, as suggested by the Commissioners. I have, &c, Julius Vogel. The Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

Enclosure in No. 2i<. Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 112.) The Commissioners of Audit feel it their duty to call the attention of the Government to the nature of the contracts mado by the Agent-General with shipping firms in England, by which the whole of the passage money of immigrants is paid on the sailing of the vessel. It has been the usual custom, both in this Colony and by Her Majesty's Commissioners, to retain the half of the passage money until certificates have been received of the completion of the charterparty ; and it is obvious that, by the payment of the whole money, when the contract is then hardly commenced by the contractors, the principal means for enforcing a strict compliance with the terms of the contract are abandoned. James E. PitzGerald, 28th November, 1873. Commissioner of Audit.

No. 25. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 289.) Sis, —■ General Government Offices, Dunedin, 22nd December, 1873. My attention has been called to certain difficulties which arise in connection with the transmission of emigrants from Glasgow to Otago, on account of payments being made under a contract between the Agent of the Provincial Government of Otago and Messrs. Patrick Henderson and Co. I am very glad to learn from a letter recently written by Mr. Auld to the Superintendent of Otago, that you and Mr. Auld are working in thorough harmony ; and I would suggest whether you could not arrange that the contract with Messrs. Patrick Henderson and Co. should be taken up by yourself, so that the payments could be properly authorized by you. I have not studied the contract, and therefore I do not commit myself to an expression of opinion concerning it beyond this, that it seems to be considered by the Provincial Government to be satisfactory. If the contract meets with your approval, I would suggest to you to adopt it; or, if you think its terms should bo altered, that you should enter into negotiations for the purpose. If you are of opinion that it should continue to be worked in the same way as at present, I would ask you to adopt some plan by which the payments which are made, or your approval of payments to be made, may be conveyed to the Colony in a manner which will satisfy the Commissioners of Audit that the expenditure is for a public service properly approved of. I have also to ask you to take care that the fullest information with respect to these shipments is sent direct to the Immigration Department in Wellington, as is done in other cases. Thus we should know the names of the emigrants despatched, the terms of their despatch, the date of sailing, the conditions as to gratuities, and all other particulars, precisely as though Messrs. Henderson's ships were sailing from London under engagements made with you. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julitjs Vogel.

No. 2G. The Hon. J. Yooel to the Agent- General. (No. 291.) Srit, —■ General Government Offices, Duncdin, 24th December, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of October 31st, enclosing copy of a telegram from me, which reached you on 22nd October. I am disappointed in finding that, although nine days elapsed between the receipt of the telegram and the date of your letter, you do not make any remarks respecting any one of the important matters to which the telegram referred. It is true that I have received telegrams from you as to one or two of the matters in question. Por instance, I am aware that an arrangement has been made to send emigrants by one of the steamers for the Californian service; but by my telegram you were instructed to endeavour to charter two steamers for emigrants, and I am up to this time totally uninformed as to whether you have taken any steps towards sending a steamer to Lyttelton, in addition to the one engaged for Port Chalmers.

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My telegram referred to other very important matters; and it contained an instruction to you to "fully cable proceedings" consequent upon its receipt. But you have not so telegraphed; and I remain practically unaware of what you have done, or propose to do, for the purpose of giving effect to my instructions. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel. •

No. 27. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 293.) Sic, — General Government Offices, Dunedin, 24th December, 1873, By my letter of October 27, No. 240,1 instructed you that, after the expiration of the contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company, you were to divide the Government business between the various companies and firms engaged in the carrying trade of New Zealand, including the New Zealand Company, Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., and the Albion Shipping Company. I have now further to instruct you upon the same subject. Since the date of my letter, a severe competition has been going on between the New Zealand Company and Shaw, Savill, and Co., the result of which has been very considerably to reduce rates. The Albion Company has also commenced business between London and New Zealand. I have no proof that the Company is working with Shaw, Savill, and Co., but I judge that such is more or less the case, from the fact that the whole of the opposition now appears to be between the New Zealand Company on the one hand, and Shaw, Savill, and Co. and the Albion Company on the other. I perceive the possibility, not to say the probability, that this competition will lead either to the New Zealand Company withdrawing from the business or amalgamating with Shaw, Savill, and Co., the consequence of which would be, not only a return to the old monopoly, but the enforcement of higher rates, in order to recoup competitive losses. I desire to repeat that I do not consider any benefit is to be gained by your paying for freight and passengers, unduly low rates, resulting, as such a state of things must do, in a tendency to check competition. I still wish you, therefore, to pay what you consider fair rates. 1 see so much present danger of the Now Zealand Company being driven off or tempted to amalgamate, and a consequent return to the old monopoly, with higher rates than ever, that I have come to the conclusion to alter for a short time the distribution of the business which I instructed you, by my letter of October 27th, to make. You will be so good, until further instructed, to so divide your business as to give to theNNcrw r Zealand Company three-fifths of all your London business, dividing the other two-fifths between the Albion Company and Shaw, Savill, and Co., in such proportions as you consider desirable. Should another londfide competitor enter the field you will at once advise me by telegram, so that I may be able further to consider the whole question. I beg that you will at your earliest convenience send to me the fullest particulars you can obtain as to the position and intention of the Albion Company with respect to the London trade. Nothing in this letter is meant to refer to the Glasgow business carried on by the Albion Company. I have to point out that it will not be in accordance with these instructions for you to enter into prolonged contracts with any company or firm. As the division of business may be altered from time to time, it is necessary you should be able to alter your arrangements at short notice. I have, therefore, to positively instruct you not to enter into any arrangement extending over a period, or for a number of ships, which you cannot terminate by three months' notice, or which would not work itself out in four months; but you are not to consider this instruction to be an invitation to make any contract extending over a period. I would rather that your arrangements should be such as to provide for three months in advauce such shipping as you may require; and until further instructed by me, you will divide your business in the manner already specified herein. "Whilst on the subject I wish to write a few words respecting Messrs. Shaw, Savil], and Co. I enclose you copy of a telegraphic correspondence which has just taken place with the agent of the firm in Wellington. You will observe that I have taken care to leave you perfectly free in respect to your communication with those gentlemen, and that you are in no way committed to affording them more information than you consider desirable. I draw your attention to this fact, because there is reason to think that they aspire to exercise a control whicli this Government will not, under any circumstances, sanction. Before the commencement of last Session the firm wrote to their agents a species of circular letter covering a political attack upon the Government whilst praising yourself. A letter of the kind of course had no effect. Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. are not likely to secure Parliamentary Agents, as your own knowledge of New Zealand will sufficiently assure you. I have heard that between your office and Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. a telegraph wire is connected, and it has frequently been stated that your officers are in the habit of too freely communicating with Messrs. Shaw, Savil], and Co. I mention these statements only to enable me to give you the assurance that all parties in New Zealand would combine to sanction any expenditure in preference to Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. exercising, in respect to the Government of the Colony, a dictatorial power. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vooel 3-D. 1.

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Enclosure in No. 27. Telegeams. Wellington, 17th December, 1873. Have to-day addressed formal letter to Minister for Immigration, inquiring in what manner the Government proposes to make arrangements for conveyance of immigrants from Glasgow and from London, after expiring of present contract, —whether by inviting public tenders in London or by public contract. Shall bo much obliged if you will let me know what the nature of the reply will be. Hon. Julius Vogel, Dunedin. Waltee Johnston. Dunedin, 17th December, 1873. Do you ask me as Member of the House of Eepresentatives, or as agent for a shipping firm? Walter Johnston, Esq., Wellington. Julius Vogel. Wellington, 18th December, 1878. As agent for Shaw, Savill. My letter is'signed " Levin and Co." Hon. J. Vogel, Dunedin. Waltee Johnston. Wellington, 19th December, 1873. I hope you will not consider me "wanting in personal consideration to you, when I feel myself constrained to say that I fail to see why the agents of Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. should expect the Government to give them the information you ask. Certain instructions aro on their way to the Agent-General, others may yet be sent. Considerable discretion is left to him. These circumstances will readily enable you to recognize that it would not be desirable to enable you to cable, in advance perhaps, of information received by the Agent-General. You may depend Messrs. Shuw, Savill, and Co. will be duly apprised of any business it is desirable to transact^with them. Walter Johnston, Esq., Wellington. Julius Vogel.

No. 28. Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) 2Gth December, 1873. Instead division shipping business indicated letter October twenty-seventh, give until further notice three-fifths London business to Shipping Company, dividing remainder between Albion and Savill. Make no contract or arrangement but such as will work out in four months or be resolvable by three months' notice. Peatherston, London. Vogel.

No. 29. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 295.) Sib, — General Government Offices, Dunedin, 24th December, 1873. The Under Secretary for Immigration informs me by telegram that the ship " Lauderdale," which sailed in October for Auckland, had only 123 emigrants on board, and that the Government will consequently be liable for payment for short shipment. I have to express the hope that you will be careful that such a thing does not occur again. By adopting the plans which I have, by telegram as well as by letter, described to you, you should be able to avoid allowing any ship to sail without a full complement of passengers ; and this is no more than is done by the Agents of other colonies. I forbear from further observation, as I hope you will have by this time adopted the plan of keeping a sufficient reserve of emigrants to fill each ship you despatch. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 30. The Hon. J. Voqel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 296.) Sin, — General Government Offices, Dunedin, 24th December, 1873. I have already addressed you respecting the want of lengthened explanation from you as to what you have done, oc contemplate doing, consequent upon the very important instructions contained in a long telegram from me, which you received on the 22nd October. I now wish to say, generally, that I think it is due to the Government and your own position that you should each month send a semi-official letter giving any information you think will be of value to New Zealand, not only in respect to the monetary and the political world, but also generally as to the proceedings of your department for the past month, and your contemplated future action. The letter should, as I have said, be semi-official, but with the clear understanding that the Government would bo at liberty to publish any part of it. lam under the impression that the Agents-General for the other Colonies do not allow a month to pass without such a letter in each case. You have yourself, in your communications, frequently shown that you understood your representative position, and that you recognized the very great importance of your being able to obtain information likely to be of use to

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the Colony. But of what avail is it that you should hold such a position, or obtain such information, if tho information is not furnished to the Colony excepting once a year, when Parliament is about to meet. lam persuaded that if you once recognize that it is an important part of your duty to make such communications as I have described —just as an ambassador makes semi-official communications to the Government of the country he represents —you will never permit a month to pass without sending such letters. At present the correspondence' we receive from you is confined to answers of letters from the Colony; frequent rejoinders to answers made to previous communications ; and covering letters to official documents. You must be aware that you have not been in the habit of sending letters such as I have now requested ; and you must also be aware that the Agent-General for Victoria, for example, constantly sends to his Government information of all kinds such as I have indicated, which information has been of very great use to the Colony. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 31. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genekal. (No. 294.) Sin, — General Government Offices, Dunedin, 7th January, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Ist October, in reply to tha Hon. Mr. O'Eorke's Memoranda Nos. 119 and 13G, on the subject of your departmental arrangements, and the cost of maintaining your staff. Ido not desire to travel over the ground of explanation urged by you in your letter. But I must say that the correspondence has created in my mind the impression that you are very little disposed to show any favour to officers who have not been appointed by yourself. I am not able to alter the opinion I have before expressed, that officers appointed from NewZealand are far more suitable to your wants than any you are likely to be able to obtain iv England' I have not made such appointments because I cannot disguise from myself that any officer whom you do not cordially receive must be placed in a false position. I am, however, under the impression that there are some of your officers who might with advantage be exchanged for gentlemen having a larger knowledge of New Zealand. Others of your officers are probably very good, but I fear that they are inclined to take too much licence. For instance : not long since I was shown a copy of a letter written by Mr. Ottywell, in reply to a gentleman who thought of introducing a large number of immigrants intoNNcrw r Zealand. That gentleman inquired, not unnaturally, whether the new Governor was English, Irish, or Scotch. He received a most objectionable reply. Mr. Ottywell wrote to the effect that he did not know of what country Sir James Fe^gusson was, but that if tho querist wrote to Sir James he might or might not answer the question. I consider such a reply not only very flippant, but either it was untruthful, or Mr. Ottywell must take very little interest in tho afl'airs of the Colony not to know something about the new Governor. At the time the copy of Mr. Ottywell's letter was shown to me I had not charge of immigration, or I should at once have written officially respecting it. I do not know whether you are aware that tho practice now adopted in the Colony is, that appointments to offices the salaries of which do not exceed £200 a year have to be approved by the Ministers of the respective departments; and that where a salary exceeds £200, the appointment must be approved by the Governor in Council. Any appointments made by you after the receipt of this letter must therefore be temporary, subject to the approval of the Minister in charge, or of the Governor in Council, according to the amount of the salary to be paid. I must beg you to consider this correspondence as closed. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 32. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 17.) Sik, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th October last, No. 729, stating that you had finally arranged all matters in dispute between the Government and Messrs. Brogden and Sons. I presume that Messrs. Brogden will continue to pay the interest and the amounts of the promissory notes as they fall due to you in London, although this is not definitely stated in your letter. Subject to this being the case, the Government approve of the agreement you have made, not to require Messrs. Brogden to forward any more emigrants under the terms of their contract. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 33. The Hon. J. Yogel to the Agent-Genehal. (No. IS.) Sin, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 6th February, 1874. I forward herewith copy of a telegram received from His Honor the Superintepdent of Nelson, relative to a direct supply of immigrants for that Province.

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As I am also aware of the very considerable demand for labour in the adjacent Province of Marlborough, which we have hitherto been entirely unable to supply, you will bo good enough to arrange for a direct ship to Nelson once a month, whoso complement should be made up of the 150 required for Nelson, and the balance for Marlborough. I have, Ac, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 33. His Honor the Supeeintendent, Nelson, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (Telegram.) Nelson, 4th February, 1874. ' The following resolution passed by Provincial Council, on recommendation of myself and Executive. I will write by mail. " That, in the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that the General Government be requested to instruct the Agent-General to arrange for the transmission to this Province of one hundred and fifty persons per month, to consist of labouring men and their families, calculated for employment upon public works and in agricultural pursuits, but including in the number a fair proportion of artisans, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, coal and iron miners. At least three-fourtha of the entire number to be natives of the United Kingdom." Oswald Cuetis, The Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 34. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) "Wellington, 12th February, 1874. Despatch ship monthly to Nelson with one hundred and fifty emigrants, in addition to nominated emigrants for that Province. Send also by same ship Marlborough emigrants. Featherston, London. Vogel.

No. 35. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 21.) Sib, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, Gth February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 767, dated 14th November, 1873, enclosing Mr. Carter's report on a meeting he attended in Oxfordshire, and certain arrangements made with Mr. C. Holloway to proceed to New Zealand. " I quite recognize the services rendered by Mr. Carter, but at the same time must express my opinion that the matter was one of far too much importance to bo entrusted to that gentleman, whoso knowledge of New Zealand is very limited. I consider it of such pressing importance to the Colony to enlist the co-operation of the Agricultural Labourers' Union, that I should have been glad to learn that you had made it convenient to attend the meeting yourself, and I cannot but express my regret that you favour me with no information upon the subject beyond the mere forwarding of Mr. Carter's report, not having even mentioned the nature of the arrangement made by you with Mr. Taylor, which is referred to therein. I must earnestly request that you will consider it your duty, following the same course as other Agents-General, to furnish the Government monthly with general information of an interesting nature, and not content yourself with formal and controversial letters. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 36. The Hon. J. Vooel to the Agext-Genebal. (No. 32.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th February, 1874. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 302, of 2Gth November, 1873, enclosing copy of report by Mr. Mason, on his operations as emigration agent in Dublin since the establishment of this agency in December, 1872, which I have perused with feelings of very great disappointment. It would appear that the result of Mr. Mason's work in the cause of emigration, as summarized by himself, has been the despatch of something less than one letter a day to persons making inquiries, and the presumed despatch of some sixty emigrants to the Colony. I consider this exceedingly unsatisfactory, and should have been glad had you favoured me with your views as to the value or otherwise of this officer's services, and especially as he was represented by you, upon advising the Government of his appointment, as being " highly recommended as one who would devote himself with zeal and energy to the work." By the test applied in the cases of Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Farnall, you must, I think, recognize the uselessness, so far, of the Dublin agency; and in the case of this and other central agencies, it would be more satisfactory if quarterly reports were forwarded by the officers in charge, in order that the Government may be kept advised, through you, of the number and class of emigrants obtained and despatched by each agency, and that where the results appear, as in the case of Dublin, to be so very incommensurate with the expenditure incurred, you may at once take measures either to close the agency or to appoint a more suitable agent.

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Emigration to this Colony from Ireland continues altogether so slack, although thousands of most desirable emigrants annually leave that country for America and the North American Colonies, that I am inclined to think that some person is required as the officer of the central agency who would devote his whole time to its duties, and be in constant and personal communication with the classes of people whom it is desirable to induce to emigrate ; and I consider it absolutely necessary that such an officer should have a knowledge of New Zealand, and be able to speak from .personal experience of the inducements held out, facilities of settlement, and character of employment in tho various Provinces and districts. Under this view of the question, and considering that you appear to have failed in connecting any one possessing these qualifications with your department, I shall be glad to hear your opinion as to my sending home a suitable person to be at your disposal for this purpose. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 37. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent- General. (No. 35.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 12th February, 1874. Ecferring to Mr. O'Eorko's Memorandum No. 204, of 29th September last, requesting that you would forward copies of your instructions to your local agents relative to emigrants nominated in the Colony, I have to request that in addition to forwarding these you will inform me of the character of your arrangements generally at the head office, for the efficient carrying out of this very important branch of emigration. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 38. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 37.) SiE, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of November 13th last, No. 768, enclosing, with other printed papers, the " Second Schedule of Conditions of Contract." In remarking upon the terms of these conditions of contract, I shall presume that the instructions contained in my letters of October 23rd and 25th, and November 24th and 25th, 1873, have been carried out: I shall therefore confine myself to such other modifications and alterations of the form you enclose as suggest themselves to me upon careful consideration of the information which the experience of the officers of my department has placed at my disposal, supplemented, as it has been, by the evidence of the immigrants themselves, to whom at every port I have given the opportunity of voluntarily expressing their opinions to the Immigration Officers with regard to the arrangements for their embarkation and for their comfort during the voyage. The ordinary dietary scale for adults, as set forth"in the conditions of contract enclosed in your letter of the 19th March, 1873, No. 150, is much more liberal in many essentials than the scale of the New Zealand Shipping Company's contract, which, I observe, you have adopted. I desire now that you will in any future contracts resume the more liberal scale referred to, and further, will cause the substitution of preserved meat for salt beef upon one of the days upon which that article is tabled for issue. You will also reduce the amount of biscuit to be issued, making up the difference by an extra allowance of flour or soft bread. With regard to the dietary for children, the quantity of dessicated milk and preserved soup "shipped should be in proportion to the number of children in each ship, instead of to the number of statute adults ; and care should be taken that in the event of condensed egg not being obtainable, as I understand is sometimes the case, some better substitute than eggs packed in .salt, which generally have been found to be broken and imperfectly preserved, should be put on board. It has been pointed out to me by many surgeon superintendents that a proper quantity of charcoal should be placed on board each ship. In cases where fever has broken out, the quantity shipped has been found entirely insufficient, and in some instances none has been shipped at all. A large quantity of sand, for cleansing and drying purposes, should also be supplied. In Schedule C of the charter-party it is expressed that the surgeon superintendent should possess certain surgical and midwifery instruments which are noted therein. It has been represented to me, by competent authority, that these instruments are absolutely necessary in ships carrying a large number of women and children. I have therefore to request that you ascertain that all surgeons are provided with these instruments before embarkation. While considering the above as positive instructions, 1 would point out to you that with the large business at your command, and the great competition which, I am aware, exists for obtaining it, you have it in your power to make very favourable conditions in your contracts for the health and comfort of our emigrants, and I have every confidence that you will do so. Ido not, therefore, deem it necessary to enter further into details connected with the form of charter-party. You have already been advised of the desire of the Government that all ships sailing from the port of London should embark their emigrants at Plymouth : thus avoiding the most trying part of the whole passage, and the various risks to health entailed by a detention of the emigrants in London. I trust, therefore, that in all future contracts you will be able to insist upon this as a condition. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

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No. 39. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 41.) Sic, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 16th February, 1874. I have telegraphic advices of the arrival of the s.s. " Mongol " at Port Chalmers, with passengers for four different ports. I refrain, until I shall have received further information, from saying anything as to the condition in which it is alleged the passengers were allowed to embark at and depart from Plymouth. But I have to observe that in my telegram forwarded from Wellington on the 11th October last, I instructed you, " endeavour charter two fine fast steamers, leave early December, one Canterbury, one Otago," and that you have not only not complied with that instruction, but have not taken any notice of it in your letters. I thought that the " Mongol " was intended to be one of the two steamships, but you have divided her passengers between four ports, and there is no indication whatever that you have even attempted to comply with my instructions as to a second steamer. It is exceedingly annoying, after instructions have, at great expense, been sent by cable, to find that they are wholly disregarded when they reach you. I have further to complain most strongly of the irregular receipt of information from you as to the sailing of vessels. You have been instructed to telegraph on the first day of each month, information as to the vessels that have sailed during the previous month. We have now in Auckland intelligence from Melbourne to the Bth February, with news from England to the sth; but I have not received from you any telegram as to the ships despatched by you during January. I must ask you to suppose yourself in my position, and to realize how disappointed you would be at the non-receipt of expected intelligence such as I am referring to. ************ I have, Ac, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel. Note.—The remainder of this letter refers to intelligence respecting Loan operations.

No. 40. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 42.) Sic, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 16th February, 1874. I have the honor to enclose copy of a letter which I have received from the Superintendent of Otago. You will observe that His Honor states he is convinced that the Albion Company are not working into the hands of Messrs. Shaw, Savill and Co. You will have gathered from my letter of December 24th (No. 293, 1873) that I entertain a different opinion. Correspondence which I have seen satisfies me that those in this Colony who are connected with the Albion Company have no knowledge of any understanding between the Company and Messrs. Shaw, Saville, and Co., but does not satisfy me that there is not such an understanding. On the contrary, there has been for so litany years an understanding between Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. and the Albion Company, and notwithstanding the new business of the Albion there seems to be so little like hostility between the two, that I am still under the impression that there is an intention ultimately to effect an amalgamation between the London business of the Albion Company and that of Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. I may, however, be mistaken, and if you have made the inquiries which in my letter of the 24th December I asked you to make, some useful information on the subject may shortly be forthcoming. But, whether or not there is the intention to which I have referred, it cannot be' denied that the Albion Company have brought out immigrants from the Clyde in an eminently satisfactory manner, and all that the Superintendent of Otago urges in their behalf, with respect to their past conduct, is undeniable. Again, I cannot ignore the fact that the Company are constructing, and propose to put upon the line, some very fine vessels. In respect to that matter they are in much the same position as the New Zealand Company, who are not only chartering good vessels, but, as I have been given to understand, have arranged for the construction of others. You are aware that it is my desire you should not enter into lengthy-arrangements with any company or firm, but that, on the contrary, I have expressly instructed you not to make any engagements for shipping which cannot be resolved in three or four months. I have also instructed you to pay what you consider fair prices, and not to bo allured by the fascination of temporarily reduced rates, which, in the event of competition being staved off, would probably be followed by much increased prices. Those instructions still hold good. It will be for you to determine whether or not the price suggested by the Company is a fair one, and if so, it might guide you in all your arrangements. But if by the term " contract," which the Superintendent of Otago uses, it is meant that you are to enter into an arrangment extending over a lengthened term, not resolvable at short notice, you are not to consider that anything I am about to write authorizes you to do so. Subject to what I have now written, and at the termination of any arrangement you may have made in accordance with the instructions in mv letter of 24th December, and my telegram forwarded on 26th December, I desire that you should divide equally between the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Albion Company your London business between London and Otago, and therefore that for the present, and until I further instruct you, you will not give to Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co.'s vessels any Otago business. "With respect to other parts of the Colony, the instructions given in my letter of 24th December, and my telegram forwarded on 26th December, will remain in force for the present. I have, &c, The Agent-G-eneral for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

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Enclosure 1 in No. 40. His Honor J. Macandrew to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, 6th February, 1874. Messrs. Cargill and Co. have received adfices by last mail to the effect that the Albion Company, which has hitherto conducted emigration from the Clyde to this port with so much success and so satisfactorily to all concerned, is establishing a line of ships from London to Otago, from the beginning of this year, for which purpose they are adding to their fleet, and have now being built six magnificent iron ships specially designed for this trade. They are prepared to contract for the conveyance of emigrants from Clyde and London (on same general conditions as present contract from Clyde), number by any one vessel not to be under 100, at £13 10s., one-half paid at home, and one-half in the Colony, or at £13 if whole passage money is paid at home. I believe the above figures are lower than the contract rate with the New Zealand Shipping Company, and venture to suggest that the Agent-General be directed to make arrangements with the Albion Company for the passage of emigrants to this Proyince, from London as well as Clyde, on the terms indicated above. I would urge this suggestion, not on the grounds of price alone (for although that is an important point, it is but secondary compared with an effective service), but in consideration of the satisfactory performance of the Albion Company's line of ships during a long course of years, and in consideration of the liberal enterprise exhibited by the Company in extending their fleet of ships specially adapted for the New Zealand trade. I may observe, with reference to an impression which seems to be on your mind when we conversed on this subject lately, that I have seen correspondence which is absolutely convincing to me that the Albion Company is not working into the hands of Shaw, Savill, and Co., or vice versa. The Company owns all the ships sent out by them, and are thus directly responsible for every detail in the performance of their contract. I have, &c, J. Macandbew, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Superintendent. "Wellington.

Enclosure 2 in No. 40. The Hon. J. A 7 ogel to His Honor J. Macandrew. Sin, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 17th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th inst., respecting the Albion Shipping Company and Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. In reply, I have to state that I have sent instructions to the Agent-General that at the termination of any arrangements already made by him, and until ho is further instructed by me, he is to divide the London and Otago business equally between the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Albion Company. I may add, that whilst I am quite sure the Otago agents of the Albion Company arc unaware of any intention to effect a combination between that Company and Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., I am still of opinion that there is an understanding between the Company and the firm as to their present competition ; or, perhaps, it would be more correct to say that I do not believe the understanding existing between them for many'years has been disturbed. I have, <fee, His Honor the Superintendent of Otago. Julius Vogel.

No. 41. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) 2nd March, 1574, Pjuyate letter from you states New Zealand Shipping Company unable satisfy your wants. My instructions respecting division business of course assumed Company able meet your requirements to extent authorized; otherwise, clearly your duty make up deficiencies. Still consider instructions absolute respecting duration of arrangements or contracts. Featherston, London. Vogel.

No. 42. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 46.) Sic,— Immigration Office, "Wellington, 12th March, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith copy of a letter addressed to me by the Consul for the German Empire in Wellington, upon the subject of emigration to the Colony, and enclosing extracts from a letter received by him from Mr. E. Barck, a clergyman in the Baden districts near the Ehine in Germany. Mr. Krull, you will observe, suggests that a free second-class or saloon passage should be given to Mr. Barck and his family to New Zealand, on the presumption that he would prove a really valuable pioneer. I agree with Mr. Krull that it ia " very important to interest the clergymen of districts in emigration to New Zealand," and should bo disposed to recommend that his suggestion should in this instance be carried out. I, however, leave the matter entirely in your hands, to be dealt with, after due inquiry, at your discretion. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

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Enclosure in No. 42. Mr. F. A. Ketjll to the Hon. J. Vooel. Consulate of the German Empire, Sib,— "Wellington, 19th .February, 1874. I have received a letter in my official capacity upon the subject of emigration to New Zealand, from a clergyman in the Baden districts near the lihino, in Germany, extract from which I have the honor-to hand you herewith, translated into English. Knowing how very important it is to interest the clergymen of districts in the subject of emigration to New Zealand, and believing that the gentleman referred to would prove a really valuable pioneer, I think the New Zealand Government would do well in giving him and his family a free second-class if not a cabin passage to this Colony. I have written several most favourable 'despatches to the German Government, pointing out the advantages of emigration to New Zealand, but, as you are well aware, it is not at present the policy of the German Government to encourage emigration. The exodus to America is at present checked, but tho Rhenish population, perhaps fearing that sooner or later there will be another war, are bent on emigration, and are only waiting until they decide which of the different Colonies is most suitable for them to settle in. Eequesting the pleasure of an early reply, I have, &c, F. A. Ketjll, Tho Hon. Julius Vogel, Minister for Immigration, Consul for the Gorman Empire. Wellington. Extracts from a Letter from Mr. E. Barck:, Clergyman, Diersheim, near Bischofsheim, Baden, dated 21st October, 1873. I take the liberty to ask you to give me some reliable information regarding the field of emigration for Germans in New Zealand. As you are aware the mass emigrates to the United States, partly on account of the favourable reports of other Germans, partly on account of tho comparatively small risk and cheaper passage. Relations of mine were on the point of emigrating to America when my attention was drawn to a letter from your town, dated 21st December, 1872, in the Times, 20th February, 1873 ; and also to a later article in the Times, Ist March —(House of Commons, Mr. Knatchbull's Speech)—wherein it was stated that the passage money to New Zealand was reduced to £5. Thoso who first intend emigrating are tho family of my brother-in-law and his children, altogether five persons. He is a thorough business man, 37 years old, and had during fifteen years the management of a banking and commission business in French Switzerland; he is a thorough master of the German and French languages, and knows English as well as it can be learnt without having been in the country. He is capable of filling any position either in a bank or merchant's office, and is capable of managing either honorably. He leaves Europe, because he lost all his money in the crisis, and wishes to secure for his family a better future. His family consists of three boys and one girl (from 10 to 16 years of age) : they have had a good education in Germany, and the three eldest speak both German and French. The eldest son is in a mercantile house at Strasbourg, and the two boys intend farming in New Zealand. There are therefore five young persons, healthy, capable, and willing to work, and they unite in themselves the qualities of thorough good colonists. I should like, to have it confirmed if the passage money is reduced to £5, and if the Emigration Department pays this amount, or if it is only lent to the emigrant; further, if the luggage of the emigrants is forwarded freight free and admitted duty free, and also the quantity allowed. I should like to have some particulars regarding living, rent, and also to whom I have to address myself to bring about the emigration of my relations, as well as other emigrants whom I could influence. I hardly need to say that emigration might receivo a very large extension in case reports from our pioneers continue favourable.

No. 43. Tho Hon. J. Voqel to tho Agent-General. (No. 57.) Sic, — Immigration Office, 'Wellington, 12th March, 1874. I havo the honor to address you on the subject of the number of immigrants required in tho Colony. In my telegram of 11th October, 1873, 1 informed you that the number of immigrants you were sending was inadequate to tho requirements of the Colony, and that I would be glad if you would send 20,000 during the next six months. Since then I have from time to time instructed you to desjjatch stated numbers of immigrants to some of tho Provinces, such as Nelson and Hawke's Bay, and I am sending by this mail copy of a telegram transmitted to you respecting immigrants for Wellington and Napier. As the six months are about expiring, it may be a useful guide to you if I indicate the total number of immigrants to be despatched during the remainder of the year 1874. I desire you to send in all, between the time you receive this and tho end of the year (say over a period of eight months), 25,100 immigrants (souls), inclusive of nominated immigrants. This number you had better, as far as possible, divide amongst the Provinces as follows :— Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0,000 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 6,000 Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4,500 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4,000 Carried forward ... 20,500

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Brought forward ... ... ' 20,500 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,000 Nelson and Marlborough, and 50 single women monthly for Westland ... 2,000 Taranaki, three ships, containing ... ... ... ... ... 600 25,100 You will find that these numbers are consistent with the directions from time to time sent you during the last six months respecting particular Provinces, and you will endeavour to give those directions effect, reading them in conjunction with the instructions herein contained. You will find a discrepancy in this respect in regard to Nelson, the number I have given you being inclusive of nominated immigrants, whilst that formerly mentioned was exclusive of the same. But as it appears to me you will find it difficult sometimes to draw a distinction when dealing with the total number you are to despatch, I have thought better to make the numbers herein mentioned inclusive of nominations. I take the opportunity to point out to you, that it would be desirable to largely increase the proportion of single women fit for domestic and dairy farm service. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 44, The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 14th March, 1874. Oeiiond anxious shipload emigrants despatched for Napier immediately, with good proportion single men and women. Wants another ship arrive August, and one each arrive October, November, December, January. Fitzherberfc wants five hundred immigrants monthly. Endeavour comply. Featherston, London. Vogel.

No. 45. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 14th March, 1574. Re combination Shipping Companies. —Letter two forty, October twenty-seventh, gave you ample powers prevent re-establishment monopoly. Judge from telegram attempt being made re-establish monopoly, in which case letter should guide you. Apart from combination and monopoly, sixteen pounds too high ; prefer paying steamers twenty pounds. If not satisfied with London firms, you can transfer business to Liverpool, or charter steamers and ships yourself. If necessary to frustrate what you consider attempt re-establish monopoly, authorize you enter into engagement for six months certain with any firm. Galbraith wrote Cargill, November twenty-eighth, offering bring out emigrants thirteen ten, not less than hundred, half payable in London, or thirteen pounds all payable there. You might accept his offer. Featherston, London. Vogel.

5 No. 46. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genekal. (Telegram.) "Wellington, 14th March, 1874. " Mongol," " Carnatic," " Scimitar," " Invererne," much illness and many deaths. Alleged fever on board " Mongol " " Scimitar " before starting. Implore you use every exertion guard against sacrifice life consequent upon despatching vessels with disease on board, or through imperfect sanitary arrangements. Prefer sanctioning any expense to risking emigrants' lives. Featherston, London. Vooel.

No. 47. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 65.) Sib, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, lGth March, 1874. Several complaints have lately been made regarding the character of emigrants forwarded by you. I am afraid that you are not sufficiently alive to the fact, that under the system of free passages it is necessary that there should be most careful scrutiny into the character and claims of those who desire to obtain passages. In my telegram of October 11th, 1873, I pointed out to you that the system was to be introduced subject to the condition that there should be exercised great stringency iv selection. I shall address you further upon the subject in reply to your letter No. 892, of 13th January, 1874, in which you refer to the question of the uses of local agents, to which letter I am not able to reply this month. I can now only beg you to consider seriously the necessity that exists for investigating the character and claims of those who desire to take advantage of the liberal system which the Colony has initiated. I have, &c, The Agent- General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel. 4—D. 1.

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No. 48. The Hon. J. Vogkl to the Agent- General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 25th March, 1874. Aebived, Glasgow, Woodlark. Send larger number building artisans, especially carpenters. Grave complaints concerning character late immigrants. Government positively instruct you take steps insure selection only persons good character. Ammunition order sent August not acknowledged. Ammunition much wanted. Authorize temporary employment Secretary, subject one month's notice, at salary you consider reasonable. Peatherston, London. Vogel.

No. 49. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 70.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, Ist April, 1874. Referring to your letter No. 974, of 23rd January ultimo, in which you inform me that although the whole of the emigrants by the " Scimitar" have received contract tickets for Dunedin, it has been arranged that any of the passengers who preferred to proceed to Canterbury or Wellington, should be forwarded at the expense of the Government, I desire to express my opinion that the arrangement of despatching emigrants for one Province to the port of arrival in another, is open to very grave objections, and should not be made but under very exceptional circumstances. I have already upon this subject given you instructions in my telegram of 11th October, 1873, and my letter No. 221, of 22nd October, 1873, and I would again reiterate that no arrangements for transhipment are to be made unless you are absolutely unable to fill a ship, when ready for sea, with emigrants for her port of arrival, or that you cannot for any particular port obtain a direct ship. In all cases where emigrants are to be forwarded to other Provinces than that in which the port of arrival of the ship is situated, it is desirable that this should bo clearly understood by the officers of this department, and for this purpose I have to request that separate lists may be sent of such emigrants, arranged according to the Provinces to which they are to be sent. This is not intended to interfere with, but to bo supplementary to, the ships' books as at present made up, which seem admirably adapted for their purpose. It would be desirable also that the contract tickets should state distinctly the final destination of the emigrant via the port of arrival. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 50. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, Ist April, 1874. Send two ships with emigrants Marlborough direct: arrive October, December. Send immediately ship Taranaki direct, with emigrants. Featherston, London. Vogel.

No. 51. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-G-enebal. (No. 77.) Sic, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, Bth April, 1874. Herewith I forward copy of correspondence with His Honor the Superintendent of Westland, relative to the want of female domestic labour in that Province. I believe this is a want general throughout the Colony, and, with due regard to selection, I think you need place no limit at present upon the number of this class of emigrants which you may despatch. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 51. The Ihhigeation Officer, Greymouth, to the Undee Seceetabt for Immigbation. Sic, — Immigration Office, Greymouth, 23rd February, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith a memorial, signed by sixty-five of the most influential residents of Greymouth, requesting me to call the attention of the Government to the large demand existing in the district for female servants. I have in previous communications referred to this subject, and recommended the introduction of single women; and I would especially refer to my report of 31st March, 1873. The influx of nominated immigrants is quite inadequate to meet the demand. All the single women who have arrived were engaged at once at very high wages, and I

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believe they are now all married. If fifty single women were landed here to-morrow, they would all be engaged at once. Hoping that the Government will be able to meet the wishes of the memorialists, I have, &c, James Wxlde, The Under Secretary for Immigration, "Wellington. Immigration Officer. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 1 in No. 51. Sib,— ' Greymouth, 20th February, 1874. "We, the undersigned, beg to request that you will call the attention of the General Government to the largely existing demand here for female servants; that the present supply is insufficient to meet our requirements ; and that we consider ourselves entitled to a proportionate share of this class of labour now being imported to other parts of the Colony, and towards the expenses of which we so greatly contribute. "We have, &c, James Tatloe, W. KILOOUE, To James "Wylde, Esq., Immigration Officer, And sixty-three others. Greymouth.

Enclosure 2 in No. 51. Hon. J. Vogel to His Honor the Supeeintekdent, "Westland. Sib, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 12th March, 1874. I have the honor to forward copy of a letter from the Immigration Officer at Greymouth, covering a memorial, signed by a number of residents of that place, relative to the want of female domestic labour experienced, upon which I shall be glad to receive any remarks your Honor may have to offer. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, "Westland. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 3 in No. 51. His Honor the Supebintendent, "Westland, to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Hokitika, 21st March, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, forwarding a copy of a letter from the Immigration Officer at Greymouth, relative to the want of female domestic labour. In reply, I would beg to state that I strongly recommend the introduction of female domestic labour, as it is one of the greatest wants experienced by families here, and there would be no difficulty in absorbing at least fifty in Greymonth and an equal number in Hokitika. Some provision will require to be made for their reception, and I would recommend that not more than twenty-five should be shipped for each port at one time. I have, &c, J. Boitae, The Hon. the Premier, "Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 52. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent- Geneeal. (No. 80.) Sic, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, Bth April, 1874. Eeferring to my letter of Bth instant, No. 79, relative to the arrangements for the distribution of the emigrants by the s.s. "Mongol," I have the honor to enclose you copies of correspondence with the Superintendent of Auckland, wherein His Honor not unreasonably complains that out of the seventy-two emigrants advised for the Province, only thirty-three reached Auckland. You are already fully in possession of my views as to the inadvisability, except under very special circumstances, of sending emigrants to ports outside the Province for which they are destined. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 52. Hia Honor the Supebintendent, Auckland, to the' Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 11th March, 1874. I have the honor to call the attention of the Government to the fact that out of the seventy-two immigrants for this Province per ship " Mongol," only thirty-three reached Auckland per steamer " Phoebe." There is reason to believe that special inducements were held out to a number of the others to remain in Dunedin, and I feel bound to point out that such a course is objectionable and unfair to this Province.

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I trust that, for the future, arrangements will be made for sending out all immigrants for this Province direct to Auckland, or to some other port within the Province. I have, <fee, J. Williamson, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure 2 in No. 52. The Hon. J. Vogel to His Honor the Supeeintendent, Auckland. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 24th March, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 12th March, enclosing copy of one to the Colonial Secretary, dated 11th March, both referring to the immigrants per " Mongol." You are aware that the " Mongol" arrived at Port Chalmers with her passengers in a bad state of health, and had, in consequence, to be quarantined. It was represented to me that some of the passengers did not desire to pursue their voyage to other Provinces. Seeing the great difficulty of dealing with persons in quarantine, and the impossibility of constraining immigrants to proceed if they did not desire to do so, I simply asked the Superintendent of Otago to provide passages for those who desired to go on to other ports for which they had shipped. I quite agree with your Honor as to the advisableness of immigrants being forwarded direct to their respective ports of destination, where, as in the case of Auckland, the facilities are unimpeachable. I have instructed the Agent-General to that effect. The only cases in which I have sanctioned his shipping emigrants to ports other than those to which they desire to go being —where no vessels are available for such ports, a condition which should not exist as respects Auckland ; and, where a vessel, being about to sail without the proper complement of passengers, it would be desirable, in order to avoid payments on account of short shipment, to fill her up with emigrants for a port or ports other than that to which she is to proceed. This ako is a state of things which should rarely occur. Substantially, therefore, instructions have already been given to the Agent-General, to the effect you desire; but I will again write to him on the subject. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. Julius Vogel.

No. 53. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 81.) Stb, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, Bth April, 1874. [Referring to my letter No. 78, of 7th April, covering the Commissioner's report upon the ship " Queen of the Age," I have the honor to enclose copy of a communication addressed to me by His Honor the Superintendent of Auckland, relative to certain French immigrants by that ship, who were stated to have taken up their profession of ballet dancers. The Immigration Officer subsequently reports, referring to these immigrants, that " there is reason for believing that the majority, if not the whole of the male adults, about nine in all, have trades as mechanics, as represented at tlio Emigration Agency in London, and that most of them are likely to settle down ultimately to their ordinary callings, in some part of the Colony." I have to request that you will cause inquiry to be made relative to the approval in your office of these persons for passages, and that you will forward for my information the certificates upon which such passages were granted. I have &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 53. His Honor the Supeeesttendeitt, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 12th March, 1874. I have the honor to transmit, for your information, the enclosed copy of a report, by the Immigration Officer, in reference to certain French immigrants just arrived in Auckland, per ship " Queen of the Age," who have taken up their profession as ballet dancers. I enclose extracts from the newspapers, reporting their first appearance at the Theatre last night. These immigrants were sent out to the Colony at the public expense, and the cost of their passage was nearly £225. I would request that the Agent-General be advised of these facts, and instructed to exercise more discrimination in his selection of free passage emigrants for this Province at least. I have, &c., J. Williamson, The Hon. Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 53. The Immigeation Offices, Auckland, to His Honor the Supeelntendestt. Sic, — Immigration Office, Auckland, 11th March, 1874. I beg to call your Honor's attention to the circumstance that a number of the immigrants by the "Queen of the Age," chiefly [Frenchmen and their wives, who received a free passage to the Colony in the professed capacity of mechanics of various kinds, a few days after arrival announced themselves as a Parisian troupe of ballet dancers, and have duly advertised a performance, under that designation, in the Prince of "Wales Theatre, for this evening.

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As I assume it is not the intention of the Government to introduce persons of the profession referred to at the public cost, and who, in all probability, after a few weeks' sojourn here, will take their departure for some of the neighbouring colonies, 1 have felt it to be my duty to bring the matter, without loss of time, under your Honor's notice. I have, &c, H. Ellis, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. Immigration Officer.

No. 54. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 82.) Sir, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 9th April, 1874. I forward herewith copy of a telegram* forwarded to you under date Ist April instant. The emigrants ordered for Taranaki are to be considered inclusive of those ordered in my letter No. 57, of 12th March, 187-i, and I request that you will endeavour to carry out the instructions witli regard to this Province with the least possible delay. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 55. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 84.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, Sth April, 1874. I forward herewith copies of correspondence with His Honor the Superintendent of Marlborough, relative to emigration to that Province, and of a telegram forwarded to you upon the subject, under date Ist April instant. The emigrants despatched by the two direct ships, to arrive in October and December, are to be inclusive of the number ordered in my letter of the 12th March, No. 57, and my instruction as to sending a certain proportion of emigrants for Marlborough in Nelson ships remains in force. The distribution of these emigrants is, as I have before generally instructed you in similar cases, to be clearly understood; and they should be informed that if they, upon arrival at Nelson, decline to proceed farther, the Government will not in any way recognize their claim to assistance in providing employment, nor will they be received or maintained in our depots. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Voqel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 55. His Honor the Superintendent, Marlborough, to the Hon. J. Yogel. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Blenheim, lGth March, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 61, of the 9th March, 1574, enclosing a copy of a letter to the Agent-General, instructing him to send a ship direct to Nelson once a month, with 150 immigrants to Nelson and the balance for Marlborough. I shall be obliged by your informing me what arrangement will bo made to secure an equitable division of the various classes of immigrants so introduced, as it would be objectionable to have the more serviceable picked out in Nelson, and the refuse sent on here. I note that you did not refer to the previous arrangement made, that a ship should come direct to the Province in October and another in December of this year, as requested in my letter No. 265, of the 9th of January, and to which, I believe, you had acceded, and instructed the Agent-General to carry out. I trust that the proposal to send the surplus immigrants from Nelson is intended as a supplement to this arrangement, and not as a substitute. We shall require a large number of immigrants in the spring, and I do not believe that we shall get either the quantity or the quality filtered through Nelson. I must, therefore, urge upon you the desirability of giving us the direct shipments we ask for. I have, &c, A. P. Setsiotje, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, "Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure 2 in No. 55. The Hon. J. Vogel to His Honor the Superintendent, Marlborough. Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 31st March, 1874. Eeferring to your letter of 16th March, I have the honor to state that the division of immigrants who may go to Nelson on their way to Marlboruugh will net be a matter of any difficulty, because emigrants will be selected at home for Marlborough, and will simply be shipped for that Province. •For Enclosure, see No. 50. 5—D. 1.

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2. It is to be borne in mind that whatever instructions may be sent home for emigrants to be forwarded to particular Provinces, it rests with those who desire to emigrate, to choose the Province they wish to proceed to, and having chosen it, it is not often that they alter their choice. 3. From the instructions sent home, the Agent-General will understand that he is to select a certain number of emigrants for Marlborough, and to send them by vessel proceeding to Nelson. As your Honor, however, desires two direct shipments, I have cabled home to that effect. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Marlborough. Julius Vooel.

No. 56. The Hon. J. Vooel to the Agent-General. (No. 03.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 9th April, 1874. I have already acknowledged the receipt of your letter No. 802, of 30th January; and I stated that I would further address you concerning it. 2. I observe that while you state that, in the main, you agree with the views I expressed in the letter to which yours is a reply, you still approve of the employment of local agents, paid by commission, in preference to having officers paid by salary. 3. Inquiries I have instituted, lead me to suppose that the local agents are by no means inducers of much emigration. No doubt, persons who contemplate coming to New Zealand may refer to the agents for certain details of information ; but, as far as I can gather, from inquiries amongst the immigrants themselves, the great bulk of those who come to New Zealand do so because they have relations or friends in the Colony, or because of what they hear from friends who have relations in the Colony. To a smaller number, the first inducement to come to New Zealand is supplied by advertisements in the newspapers having popular circulation. 4. I do not doubt that you have chosen with much care the agents you have appointed ; but it appears to me that, of necessity, they are hardly fitted to carry out the purpose we desire. 5. We arc now giving free passages, which arc intended for persons of such classes as we want in the Colony, and who are of good character. To industrious persons at home, who are not in good employment, and who are not possessed of means, a free passage to New Zealand should be the greatest possible boon. By it they are enabled to rid themselves of the cares and anxieties inseparable from poorly-paid labour, and to come to a country in which, by industry and frugality, they are almost certain of attaining independence, besides constantly enjoying the means of educating their children to an extent far beyond anything they could hope to do if they remained in the United Kingdom. As the inducements oft'ered by New Zealand become known, through the information given by the thousands of emigrants who have recently come, or who are now coming out, it is reasonable to expect that the boon of a free passage will be looked upon as of the highest possible value, and you should have very large numbers of applicants from which to select. It seems to me that, in making that selection, no pains should be spared; and certainly, no reasonable expense could be considered wasted. 6. I estimate at a large sum the value to the Colony of every adult who is disposed to become an industrious settler. Upon the other hand, I am of opinion that each undesirable immigrant may bo considered as not only a loss to the Colony to the amount of his passage, but as probably counterbalancing the value of several desirable immigrants. Suppose, for example, that even ten undesirable persons are included in a shipment of three hundred : allow me to ask you to consider the loss to the Colony which such a fact would entail, and how trifling, in comparison, would be any reasonable expenditure devoted to a careful personal selection or approval before shipment. It is to be remembered that undesirable immigrants are not only not likely to' benefit themselves or the Colony, but that their example is calculated to do much mischief to others, besides generally discrediting the system of emigration. 7. You say that the employment of paid agents is the less necessary, because you have secured the services of the representatives of all the principal Agricultural Unions in England. lam gratified that you have shown a disposition to follow the opinions expressed in New Zealand as to the desirability of maintaining relations with those Unions. It is not to be expected that landlords or employers of labour would be altogether on your side. They cannot be pleased to see the best artisans and labourers leaving the United Kingdom. Therefore it was that I endeavoured to impress upon you the necessity of cultivating connections with the artisans and labourers themselves, and especially with those Unions which had been established avowedly for the purpose of bettering the condition of the labouring classes. 8. But it is in the very nature of such Unions that they should include alike the best and the worst of the agricultural labourers. It may be said that in Great Britain a labourer has nothing better to expect thau to live and die a labourer; while in New Zealand it has been said, upon good authority, that a labourer, within three years, by industry and frugality, may. if he will, become a freeholder, and an employer of labour. The desire to come to the Colony may reasonably be expected to animate a very large number of the members of the Unions, irrespective of whether or not they are the best of their class. 9. Whilst, therefore, I am still of opinion that the Agricultural Unions are most desirabk agencies through which to obtain those emigrants we desire to get from the agricultural labouring classes, I must ask you to recollect that it will not do to give to any of the Unions an unfettered discretion as to choosing those of the members to whom you are to give free passages. It is but reasonable that the managers of the Unions should desire to weed out the least meritorious of their members ; and, so far, they would be co-operating with the landlords and employers. This would, no doubt, be more or less counterbalanced by the individual ambition of those of the members who may desire to strive after a better life in the Colony : but the Unions are governed by well-defined organizations, and it is probable that though such individual aspirations might be largely recognized, yet that, on the other hand, considerable pressure might be brought to bear on those members whom the

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rulers of the Union desired to provide for. Therefore I think that you should not, in any arrangement with these Unions, dispense with the power of selection and approval; nor with the active exercise of that power, which it is my object to impress upon you that I deem of such immense importance. 10. Without disrepect to those who sign certificates of character for applicants for passages, I think there exists, even amongst persons of high moral rectitude, a readiness to sign such documents; and that, in so doing, they are actuated, not so much by a knowledge of the fitness of the persons on whose behalf they certify, as by the good-natured impression that if those persons have a chance, they are likely to turn out well. !For example, an employer who gets rid of a servant, is more ready, when asked to give a character, to speak of the servant's good points than to point out any blemishes. 11. If, as I apprehend, the time has come when you will find that, practically, you have an unlimited number of applicants from whom to select the immigrants the Colony desires to receive, the time has also arrived when you should make it clearly understood that you will exercise the closest possible scrutiny into the claims of all who apply. You will see, therefore, that Iby no means agree with you, that local agents and the certificate system sufficiently assure you of the good character of applicants for passages. 12. It is, of course, very difficult for a correct estimate of the characters of immigrants to be formed on their arrival. When an immigrant, a few hours after landing, makes his appearance in a Police Court, there is no difficulty in deciding ; but in other eases, evil principles may lie latent for a considerable period. On the other hand, immigrants landing after a long voyage, and who have a not very presentable appearance, are liable to be misjudged by those accustomed to the ordinarily smart appearance of people in the Colony. But making all possible allowances, lam constrained to say that a very general opinion exists that immigrants have not lately been equal, in character and physique, to those under the " assisted" system ; whilst it has been my desire to impress upon you that in giving free passages we have the right to exercise larger scrutiny in deciding upon whom to bestow the boon. 13. It'you ask why I do not furnish you documentary evidence in proof that such an opinion as I have indicated, does exist, I must ask you to remember that Superintendents of Provinces and others who may be expected to express such an opinion, are naturally very reluctant to do so, seeing how calculated it would be to throw a slur upon those of the immigrants by the same ship who were unexceptionable. Confidentially, there have been expressed to me opinions of the nature lam indicating. I find, too, that many whose opinions are unfavourable, hesitate to make charges, not because of the difficulty of proving them, but because they fear that their doing so would tend to make matters worse instead of better ; for the public expression of such opinions would not only have the effects I have indicated, but, by making it more difficult for the objectionable persons to obtain employment, would retard, if not prevent, any chance of their really settling in the Colony. Without naming particular ships, then, I say, as to the telegram I recently sent you, respecting the character of some of the recently-arrived immigrants, that I was moved by the conviction that a sufficiently careful selection was not being made at home, These remarks apply very forcibly to some of the single women who have lately landed, and who were selected by a person who, I believe, is acting as an agent for you. You know, also, my opinion that persons acquainted with the Colony would make the best agents, and that, had you approved, I was prepared to appoint them. Ido not now do so, because, as Parliament will meet very shortly, it would be better to seek its authority for the necessary expenditure. li. I am glad to observe that you approve of the establishment of a depot, and that you are giving earnest attention to that matter. 15. The pamphlet to which you refer has been delayed through no fault, or any absence of anxiety or exertion, on my part. The plan of the work involved the preparation of the Provincial papers by the respective Superintendents, or under their control, the desire being to give, as far as possible, a local view of the various features of the Colony. Delay in the preparation of some of those papers has caused the pamphlet to be not yet ready ; although, seeing that the work is rather a bulky one, I do not admit that there has been so much delay as may appear to have been the case. I hope to be able to send you revised sheets of the pamphlet by the next mail, and to ask you to have it printed and published at home. 16. With reference to your letter No. 922, of 14th January, in which you speak of requiring certificates from nominated emigrants, I wish you to understand that all I have said upon the general question of selection applies to emigrants nominated in the Colony. Nominations that do not involve any payment must be expected to be made, in many cases, without a large sense of responsibility, and therefore you have been instructed that every such nomination is subject to your approval. You will, of course, understand that, other things being equal, you are to prefer persons nominated here to ordinary applicants; for the former come out to friends who have sent for them, and who, it is to be presumed, are more or less ready to provide for them. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 57. The lion. J. Vogel to the AamTT-GmfEEAL. (No. 95.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 10th April, 1874. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 997, of 10th February ultimo, enclosing a report by Mr. Carter of a meeting held at Islip, and the arrangements made with Mr. Leggott, an assisted emigrant in the " Balloelimyle." I am glad to find that exertions are now being made to secure for the Colony that very desirable class of emigrants, agricultural labourers and country mechanics. These are the sort of men who, to almost any number, can be readily absorbed, and the demand for whom in the Southern Provinces continues as urgent as ever.

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Although you do not say so, I presume you have approved Mr. Carter's arrangement with Mr. Leggett. 1 send a copy of your letter, with the report, to His Honor the Superintendent of Canterbury, who, I have no doubt, will assist Mr. Leggett, upon arrival, to obtain suitable employment. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 58. (No. 97.) The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 10th April, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters Nos. 914 and 897, dated January 13th and 21st, both in acknowledgment of my letter No. 218, of 21st October, 1873, enclosing copies of l; The Immigrants Land Act, 1873." It is gratifying to me to receive your assurance that you will do your utmost to give effect in this matter to the wishes of the Government ; but it would have been more satisfactory had you informed me what steps you had already taken in the matter. Since your two similar letters were written, I have advices from you of several weeks' later date, but no information of any action taken by you in reference to my letter. In short, my letter of the 21st October, 1873, to which I attached great importance, and in which I asked you to take energetic action, has obtained from you only a courteous acknowledgment, though, it was in your hands nearly two months up to the date of the latest advices from you. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 59. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 16th April, 1874. Aeeited, "Glasgow," " Davie," "Dorette."—Consider number emigrants sent in March as part of number authorized for rest of year in my letter 12th March. Eeatherston, London. Vogel.

No. 60. (No. 103.) The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th May, 1874. I omitted to reply, further than by mere acknowledgment, to your letter No. 871, of 26th December, 1873, in which you informed me of the appointment of Mr. Samuel Cochrane as Emigration Officer at Belfast, and that Mr. James Williamson and Mr. T. liussell expressed their opinion that he will be able to secure a fair share of emigration for the Province of Auckland. I presume Mr. Cochrane has been instructed to act as Emigration Agent for the whole Colony, and not to confine his exertions in procuring emigrants for Auckland only. I have &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Voqel.

No. 61. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 104.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1051, of 20th February ultimo, enclosing copy of a correspondence with the owners of the s.s. " Atrato " relative to an increase on the rate of passage money in the event of the vessel making a speedy and satisfactory voyage. Under the circumstances of this vessel having broken down and returned to port, involving a very long detention of her emigrants in England, it is not necessary for me to consider the question of the application of her owners for the increased rate, and 1 can only express to you my regret that you should have chartered a steamship with such unfortunate antecedents as the " Atrato." I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 62. The Hon. J. Vooel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 105.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1007, of 11th February, ultimo, enclosing copy of a letter from Mr. Herbert, of the Colonial Office, pointing out that the law prohibits the Post Office from disclosing the names of depositors in Post Office Savings Banks, and stating that Mr. Playfair will be glad to meet, as far as possible, the wishes of the New Zealand Government in regard to exhibiting emigration notices in the post offices. I presume you have taken advantage of the permission of the Postmaster-General, to obtain publicity for your regulations for free emigration. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

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No. 63. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 112.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 6th May, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith, for your information, copies of letters received by the last mail from Mr. H. W. Farnall, late Emigration Agent at Belfast, and of my answer despatched by this mail. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 63. Mr. Faenall to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sic, — 2|, Corporation Street, Belfast, 13th January, 1874. I beg herewith to forward you a brief abstract of my proceedings since I was instructed, by the Government of which you were a member, to proceed to England and place my services at the disposal of the Agent-General, in order to assist him in carrying out the emigration proposals of the New Zealand Government. I presume the Government would not have intrusted me with this important mission, had it not been satisfied that I had the necessary qualifications to satisfactorily perform the duties that would be required of me. Under these circumstances, I apprehend your Government will hear with some amazement that the Agent-General in June last relieved me of my appointment, without a moment's notice, at a time when I was engaged on very important operations in connection with my mission. This conduct of the Agent-General has delayed for months certainly, perhaps stopped altogether, the emigration of a large body of capitalists and small farmers who contemplated settling in the Province of Auckland. I cannot believe that this conduct of the Agent-General will meet with the approval of your Government. I have, &c., The Hon. Julius Vogel, Wellington. Habey W. Fae>*all. Absteact of Peoceedings in connection with H. W. Faenall's Mission to England, to assist the Agent-Geneeal for New Zealand. Eeceived instructions from New Zealand Government, in January, 1872, to proceed to England to assist the Agent-General in his emigration work. Reported myself May 6th, 1872, to the AgentGeneral. Informed by him he did not see in what capacity he could utilize my services, but would consider over the matter. In July, 1872, proceeded at his request to North of Ireland, to act as emigration agent in connection with his office. Remuneration to be at the rate of 255. per diem. In November, 1872, was informed that my remuneration would be at the rate of £700 per annum. In November, 1872, commenced a correspondence with Mr. Stewart, relative to a scheme of emigration for the purpose of forming a special settlement in Auckland. In February, 1873, when scheme was well matured, wrote to Agent-General, making known Mr. Stewart's proposals (but without mentioning name), and requesting his advice and assistance. Receiving no reply from the Agent-General, wrote to His Honor the Superintendent of Auckland, making known Mr. Stewart's proposal. In March, 1873, Mr. Stewart wrote to the Agent-General on same subject. The Agent-General, on the part of the Government, declined to entertain the proposal. In April, 1873, I received a cablegram from the Superintendent of Auckland, to the effect that the proposal was approved, and would be entertained. I immediately forwarded telegram to AgentGeneral. Requested by him to suspend all action in the matter until he was officially advised by the New Zealand Government. On 18th June, 1873, I received a letter from the Agent-General, informing me my remuneration was to be reduced to 18s. per diem, such reduction to commence from Ist June. Also requesting to know particulars of special emigration scheme, and offering to entertain any suggestion I might wish to make on the subject. I answered in full, making several suggestions. In reply, I was informed, without any reason being given, that my services were no longer required, and that I wculd be entitled to the cost of my return passage to New Zealand. I wrote to the Agent-General, offering my services gratuitously, as, rather than imperil the scheme, I was willing to forego the remuneration. I was informed I was not to act in any way as an emigration agent. I nevertheless continued to act as agent until December, 1873, no one having been sent to supersede me and take over my work until that date. Repeatedly, between the months of June and December, requested the Agent-General to pay me the cost of my return journey to New Zealand, and the remuneration due me for the month of June, but he declined, and declines to do so until the sum of £10 has been returned to him, which sum was paid by him to my assistant, Mr. Andrews, and until all my papers, correspondence, &c, especially that bearing on the special emigration question, have been handed over to him. Abstract of proceedings in the matter of the appointment of Messrs. Andrews and Walker as my Clerks. —I requested the Agent-General to allow me a clerk. He declined to allow me a salaried assistant, but at my suggestion sanctioned my appointing a sub-agent, who was to receive the usual capitation allowance, and assist me in my office. I appointed Mr. Andrews to act in that capacity in August, 1872. 6—D. 1.

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In December, 1872, Mr. Andrews having determined to proceed to New Zealand, he called at the Agent-General's office, filled in the usual Treasury vouchers, and received the capitation money due to him, viz., £16. After Mr. Andrews had left, and before making a fresh appointment, I wrote to the Agent-General and suggested a paid clerk would be better, as it was probable he would be overpaid by receiving the capitation money. In reply, the Agent-General said he preferred the capitation payment. In February, 1873, I appointed Mr. J. Walker to assist me, which appointment was confirmed by the Agent-General. The Agent-General now declines to pay him his capitation money; I have, therefore been obliged to pay it: consequently I have not only performed the onerous duties of district agent for seven months without payment, but have also had to pay the capitation allowance on the emigrants who have passed through my office since February, 1872. The Hon. Julius Vogel, Wellington.

Enclosure 2 in No. 63. Mr. Fabuall to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sib, — 2i, Corporation Street, Belfast, 10th February, 1874. I have the honor to forward you herewith, a copy of a letter I wrote to the Agent-General on the subject of the appointments of Messrs. Andrews and Walker, together with his reply thereto. As I had the honor of intimating to you by last mail, the Agent-General, in June, 1873, cancelled the appointment I received from your Government, without vouchsafing any reason for so doing. It was not until some considerable time after I had received from him my letter of dismissal, that I became aware that the subject of the remuneration of Messrs. Andrews and Walker (the latter of whom, by the way, has never received a sixpence from the Government) was twisted into something against me very like malversation, and that consequently I was not fit to be continued in a position of trust. I complain, and I think I have good grounds for so doing, that a serious charge such as this has not at once been brought specifically against me, so that I might meet it. Instead of this, it has only been in a manner hinted at to me, although at the same time the libel (which it undoubtedly is) has been circulated freely amongst old New Zealand colonists and others frequenting the Agent-General's offices —gentlemen for the most part personally unknown to me, and who have not, therefore, the opportunity of judging whether I would be guilty of such petty meannesses as those imputed to me. I consider I have also great cause of complaint, that the Agent-General should send me such an answer as that which I now enclose, to my straightforward and plain letter, which gives, as 1 think, a clear and satisfactory explanation of all the circumstances connected with the appointment of the two gentlemen in question. I have, &c, The Hon. Julius Vogel, Wellington. Habbt W. Fabnalli. Sub-Enclosure 1 to Enclosure 2 in No. 63. Mr. Faenall to the Peivate Seceetaet of the Agent-Genebal. Sib, — 2, Devonshire Buildings, Bath, 30th January, 1874. I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to bring the contents of this letter under the notice of the Agent-General, and that you will inform me, at your early convenience, whether, after he has taken into consideration the facts that it contains, he still adheres to the statement that I acted unjustifiably and without authority in allowing my assistants to apply for, and in one instance to receive, the capitation fees allowed to the New Zealand local emigration agents. la a communication I received from the Agent-General, bearing date 25th July, 1873, occurs the following passage:— " I shall be glad to receive from you an explanation of an account sent in by Mr. J. Walker, who is, I am informed, a clerk in your office. If it is true that the claimant is, or was at the time in question, a clerk in your office, I can scarcely believe that you could have been aware of any such claim without at once prohibiting it. The account, fortunately, has not been passed, and certainly will not be paid unless some satisfactory explanation is forthcoming. " My attention has likewise been called to an account of a similar kind for £16, presented by Mr. Thomas Andrews in November last, certified to by Mr. Morrison, in my absence, and paid without my knowledge of the alleged circumstances of the case. " I shall feel obliged by your informing me whether, at the time in question, Mr. Andrews was employed in your office, and (if so) whether you were cognizant of his making a claim on the Government for commission." In another communication, bearing date 25th November, 1873, the following passage occurs :— " While thus informing you of the amount I shall be prepared to sanction, I must again remind you that the payment made to you in error (under the head of commission to a clerk in your employ) has not yet been refunded." This statement is a gross perversion of facts. The sum paid by me to Mr. Andrews (the gentleman alluded to as the clerk in my employ), for assisting mo in my office, was £23. The account for £1G tendered by Mr. Andrews, and paid by the Government, was advanced by me to him, as it was understood by all concerned that this gentleman was to receive the usual capitation fees, which this sum represented. Part of this sum of £1G was disbursed by Mr. Andrews amongst sub-agents whom he employed, and to whom he paid the commission. I will now enter into the facts connected with the appointments of Messrs. Andrews and Walker.

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Prior to September, 1872, I had frequently drawn the Agent-General's attention to the urgent need of an emigration office in Belfast, and had also pointed out to him the impossibility of any person endeavouring, single-handed, to satisfactorily carry on the work of district emigration agent for the North of Ireland. The Agent-General as frequently declined to accede to my request, or in any way entertain my suggestions, until in a personal interview I had with him in September, 1872, when, after again urging him to do what I wished, and being again met with refusal, I suggested that I should take an assistant, who should take up the position of a local agent, and who should receive the usual fees allowed by the Government. To this the Agent-General readily assented, and requested me to give the name of the gentleman I wished to appoint to Mr. Carter, which I did, giving Mr. Andrews' name to Mr. Carter immediately after leaving Dr. Featherston's private room. The AgentGeneral, at my last personal interview with him, though reminded by me of this conversation, could not recall it to his recollection, and urged it was not at all probable that he would allow me to draw £700 per annum for emigration service, and at the same time allow my clerk to receive the capitation money upon the emigrants secured through my instrumentality. This argument, though it might have been urged in Mr. Walker's case (which I will deal with presently), is not tenable as regards Mr. Andrews, as, at the time I say the conversation took place, and the appointment sanctioned by the Agent-General, I was only receiving the sum of 255. per diem, a sum given to me for travelling and maintenance expenses, and out of which it was manifestly impossible I could pay all the expenses of an office. It should be remembered that the office I opened in Belfast was, strictly speaking, a private office, and established by me for my own convenience : it was never recognized by the Agent-General as a Government emigration office ; therefore, in the eyes of the Government I had no office. Had it been recognized as a Government office, I should most certainly claim, and consider I was fairly entitled to, all the expenses attendant upon the establishing and continuing it. For my own convenience I opened the office, and for the convenience of the Government I placed a local agent in it. This agent acted as my clerk, for which I guaranteed him certain remuneration. The only difference between the local agent appointed at 2|, Corporation Street, Belfast, and the agents elsewhere, was, that the former devoted the whole of his time exclusively to New Zealand emigration, and had all his office expenses paid by me, whereas the latter had their own businesses to attend, and the emigration work that came in their way was transacted in their own business offices. I always thought that this was a very clumsy and undignified way of carrying on our emigration operations in such a splendid emigration field as the North of Ireland, and in such a town as Belfast, but I was under the impression it met with the approval of the Agent-General. My opinion always was, and still is, there ought to be a head central office in Belfast, conducted in a manner worthy of the dignity of the Colony-and the importance of the North of Ireland emigration field. On the 11th November, 1872, I wrote to the Agent-General respecting the rates allowed for commission, as Mr. Andrews was leaving, and I wished to make up his account. In reply, I received the following:— " Deae Sib,— " 7, "Westminster Chambers, 13th November, 18/2. "lam in receipt of your note of 11th instant. I observe your remarks with reference to your assistant. The adult males, proceeding with families, are paid for at the rate of ss. each, and adult females at the rate of 10s. "lam,&c, " (for I. E. Featherston), " H. W. Farnall, Esq. " A. 0. Ottyweel." On receipt of this letter I made up Mr. Andrews' commission account, and paid him. He then proceeded to London, en route for New Zealand. I instructed him to call at the Agent-General's office, get his commission account certified, and return me the £16 I had advanced him. In connection with this transaction I received the following:— " Dear Sib, — " Westminster Chambers, 27th November. " I have received your letter presented by Mr. Andrews. On examination of the commission account, we discovered an error by which an overcharge of 10s. was inadvertently made. The usual vouchers were properly completed by Mr. Andrews, and I enclose herewith a cheque for £16. Please acknowledge receipt. " I am, &c., "A. 0. Otttwell." Although Mr. Ottywell, in this letter, says, " Please acknowledge receipt," there was no reason whatever why I should comply with his request except as a matter of courtesy, for the Treasury vouchers completed by Mr. Andrews were all the receipt the circumstances of the case required. In the month of November, 1872, I had reason to believe that there would be a considerable increase in the number of emigrants from the North of Ireland, and it occurred to me it would not only be more rational, but more economical, if my- assistant was recognized as such, and remunerated accordingly, instead of receiving the fees as local agent. I therefore wrote again to the Agent-General on the subject. In reply, he " declined to allow a fixed salary, and said he preferred the capitation payment." In February, 1873,1 appointed Mr. Walker to assist me, and in connection with this appointment I received a letter signed by Dr. Featherston himself, of which the following is an extract: — " My deae Sic, — " Westminster Chambers, 13th February, 1873. " I have received your note of 11th instant, and, as desired by you, I have appointed Mr. James Walker, of Belfast, as local agent. I enclose his papers herewith." Enclosed in this letter to me was a letter of appointment, also signed by Dr. Featherston, empowering Mr. Walker to act as agent, and guaranteeing him the customary fees. This letter of the Agent-General closes with the following sentence : — " You will remember that the financial arrangement referred to in this letter was that £350 should

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be paid as salary, and £350 as an allowance for travelling expenses ; the latter sum being added on the ground that, in the proper discharge of his duties, the agent would be always travelling." It is therefore manifest that at tho time Mr. Walker was appointed I was receiving a sum of £350 per annum for travelling expenses, and was supposed to be continually travelling. I therefore could not be expected to pay capitation fees out of this sum. I cannot imagine that Dr. Eeatherston could have been ignorant of the contents of the letter mentioned above, and its enclosure, to which his signature was affixed, or that he was ignorant of the fact of my using 2\, Corporation Street, Belfast, as an emigration office, and as a centre to which my correspondence could be forwarded; neither do I imagine he was ignorant of the fact that Mr. Walker's operations would be carried on at 2J-, Corporation Street. I would also desire to point out to the Agent-General, that in the printed official list of agents appointed by himself appears the name of Mr. J. Walker, clerk to Mr. H. W. Farnall, 2%, Corporation Street, Belfast. This appears in the printed list of agents bearing date 13th May, 1873, also in the printed list bearing date 18th August, 1873. These lists are, I apprehend, authentic official documents. It is therefore on record that Mr. Walker was a local agent, thougli nominally my clerk ; and from the fact of his name appearing in at least two lists of agents as acting in that double capacity, it would appear that it must, or at all events ought to, have been known by all those whom it concerned. I have, &c, The Private Secretary of the Agent-General Haeey W. Faenall. for Now Zealand. Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure 2 in No. 63. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sic, — 3rd February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 30th ultimo, and to inform you that it has been laid before the Agent-General, in accordance with your request. I am directed by the Agent-General to state that he declines any further correspondence with you on the subject thereof. I have, &c, Harry W. Farnall, Esq., 2, Devonshire Buildings, W. L. Builee. Bath.

Enclosure 3 in No. 63. The Hon. J. Vogel to Mr. Faenall. Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 6th May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters dated 10th February, 1874, and 13th January, 1874, which reached me by the same mail. As you are aware, the whole question of your employment and remuneration in the cause of emigration was left to the Agent-General, with whose discretionary action in the matter I do not feel called upon to interfere. It is unnecessary, therefore, for me to enter upon the subjects set forth in your letters, except to say that I have enclosed copy of them to the Agent-General, with whom you should communicate should you desire to pursue tho matter further. I have, &c, H. W. Farnall, Esq., 2i, Corporation Street, Belfast. Julius Vogel.

No. 64. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 114.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, Gth May, 1874. I have the honor to forward herewith copy of a memorandum addressed to the Under Secretary of the Department, by the Immigration Officer at Nelson, with regard to the treatment of German emigrants when arriving in England en route to New Zealand. I desire you will give instructions that these emigrants be properly looked after upon their arrival and during their sojourn in England. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. . Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 64. Memoeandum by Mr. Elliott. Immigration Office, Nelson, 4th May, 1874. TnE nominators of Germans for free passages wish the attention of the Agent-General to be directed to the helpless condition of their countrywomen on reaching England for embarkation for New Zealand, particularly when unaccompanied by male friends. They complain that advantage is taken of their ignorance of our language and English manners, by Germans who represent themselves as agents of the New Zealand Government, and worm themselves into their confidence for the purpose of making a dishonest use of the knowledge they acquired. One case was mentioned of a young woman named Miiller, sister of three who are nominated in present Schedule (22), who had her box emptied

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of its contents by a German, who, on a plausible pretext, possessed himself of the key, and who recommended the sufferer and another female countrywoman to lodgings where they were shamefully imposed upon. The nominators suggest that the attention of the Agent-General should be called to the circumstance, in the hope that he will take means to remedy the grievance. The proper course appears to be that intending emigrants should be informed, before leaving Germany, of the name of the person who will meet them on arrival at port of embarkation, and conduct them to their appointed ship or depot, as the case may be. C. Elliott, The Under Secretary for Immigration. Immigration Officer.

No. 65. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) "Wellington, 7th May, 1874. Abeived, " Asia," " Eakaia," " Golden Sea," " Apelles." By " Asia," thirty-three women from Cork workhouse. There was no concealment. See Cork Examiner, February sixth. Presume you understand we absolutely object to workhouse immigration. Positively instruct you discontinue services Mrs. Howard, and refuse passages to all persons she recommends. Featherston, London. Vogel.

No. 66. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Gettebal. (No. 118.) Sib,— Immigration Office, Wellington, Bth May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1040, of 20th February, 1874, in which you inform me that you fully concur in the views of the Commissioners of Audit in a memorandum forwarded to you under cover of my letter No. 266, 1873, to the effect that a moiety of the passage money for emigrants should be paid in the Colony, but that the three Shipping Companies between whom you divide your business strongly object to the arrangement unless 10s. per statute adult be added to the rate of passage money. In reply, I have only to repeat that, with the large amount of business at your disposal, you should not allow the Companies to dictate to you, but should insist, in your contracts, upon having the reasonable wishes of the Government given effect to. In the present case, I understand you to reply to my question whether you advise the adoption of the course suggested by the Commissioners of Audit, in the affirmative, and I therefore desire that you will arrange, in future contracts, that a moiety of the passage money be paid in the Colony, and at the same time decline to sanction any increase in the price of passage money on that account, except what you consider reasonable. Tou should best be able to judgo the amount which will properly compensate the delay. Certainly 10s. is too much, for it is tantamount to a charge of nearly 7 per cent, on the amount deferred. I have, Ac, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 67. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 121.) Sic, — Immigration Office, "Wellington, Bth May, 1874. My attention has been called to a letter which appeared in Reynolds' Newspaper dated 20th January, 1874, and signed by a Mr. J. Chapman, 73, Eed Lion Street, London. Mr. Chapman states that he applied at your office, and was told distinctly, that no assistance whatever is given to mechanics desiring to emigrate. He warns his fellow workmen not to be misled by your advertisements. I presume, of course, that Mr. Chapman's statement cannot be founded upon fact, but as Reynolds'1 Newspaper circulates largely amongst the classes whom it is desirable should be induced to emigrate to New Zealand, the publishing of such a letter is calculated to do a great deal of harm, and I hope, therefore, that your attention was called to it at the time, and an authoritative contradiction given. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 68. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 123.) Sib,— Immigration Office, "Wellington, 7th May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1013, of 19th February, 1874, upon the subject of the despatch of emigrants direct to the Bluff, in which you inform me that the three Shipping Companies between whom you divide your business, decline to provide you with more than two ships to call at the Bluff during the six months ensuing from the date of your letter. The remarks which I address to you by this mail upon this subject of direct ships for New Plymouth, apply equally in the present case. If the Albion Company, Shaw, Savill, and Co., and the New Zealand Shipping Company, are unwilling to carry out your requirements, you should find some other

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firm which will do so. My instructions to divide your business between the Companies mentioned, did not in any way contemplate their refusal to do the work required; and lam surprised that you do not appear to have recognized the plain duty, under such circumstances as detailed in your letter, to at once make arrangements outside these Companies, in order that the wishes of the Government relative to sending emigrants direct to the Bluff might be carried out. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 69. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 124.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 7th May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1034, of 20th February, 1874, in which you inform me, —First, that it has been found extremely difficult to obtain the complement of emigrants for any ship laid on for Auckland, and expressing a fear that it will be almost impossible to carry out my instructions as to getting a reserve in advance for ships to that port. Secondly, that it is a matter of difficulty to obtain a depot in London, and that you are endeavouring to secure for that purpose a hulk which will be moored off Gravesend. Upon this subject I await with interest further information. Your difficulty in finding immigrants for Auckland is no doubt largely referable to the want o{ knowledge of that Province possessed by your agents, excepting perhaps only Mr. Cochrane. The question of sending agents home to select immigrants is still under the consideration of Ministers. I have, <fee, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 70. (No. 125) The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 7th May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1048, of 20th February, 1874, in reply to mine, No. 291, of 24th December, 1873, in which you explain, with regard to my telegram of 11th October, 1873, that you had not considered it necessary to enter fully into the subject in writing, as you had answered all the main points raised, in your telegram of Cth November, 1873, and that on the minor questions you had taken the opportunity of answering me very fully in your letter of 13th January, 1874. 2. When writing the letter No. 291, of 24th December, 1873, in which I expressed my disappointment, that, although nine days had elapsed between the receipt of my telegram and the date of your letter, you did not make any remark " respecting any one of the important matters referred to therein," I was entirely without information from you except what was contained in your telegram of 6th November, 1873, which, I think, if you will read with my telegram referred to, you will agree with me, leaves many points untouched, and certainly does not comply with my request, "Fully cable proceedings consequent thereon." I may, indeed, remark that up to the present time I have received no explanation why my instructions to " charter two fine fast steamers, leave early December, one Canterbury, one Otago, each bring 600 to 800 emigrants," was not carried out, nor have you been any more explicit with regard to any attempts you may have made in accordance with my request to "try through respectable brokers, get Cunard or other first-class steamers, show how pleasantly passage may be made." You were also entirely silent with regard to German emigration, although instructed to " continue sending Scandinavians, Germans." Upon this subject you have since informed me in your letter No. 876, of 20th December, 1873. 3. It is not with any wish to prolong a discussion as to what should have been done upon receipt of my most important telegram of 11th October, 1873, that I have thus noted the points with regard to which it for so long a period remained unanswered, but with a view of again impressing upon you the embarrassment in which the Government is placed by want of information of what the Homo Agency is doing. Again and again my predecessor in office and myself have complained of this, and I still remain to a great extent in ignorance of the details of the machinery by which the present emigration is secured, selected, and shipped. I beg you will seriously consider the matter, and furnish me monthly, as I have already requested in my letter No. 296, of 24th December, 1873, with a full report of all your proceedings with regard to emigration. I haye, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 71. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 127.) Sic,— Immigration Office, Wellington, Bth May, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1011, of 19th February ultimo in which you inform me that the three Shipping Companies between whom you were instructed to divide your business, absolutely refuse to allow their vessels to call at New Plymouth on any terms whatever. ' •

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2. In the instructions referred to, I contemplated the possibility of other firms entering into the trade, and of giving them a fair share of the business ; and in respect to those already engaged, I of course assumed that they would do what was required by the Government, and I endeavoured to make my opinion clear, that considering the large amount of business at your disposal, you should be in a position to control these Companies, and not to accept their dictation. Other competitors, surely, could be found should these fail to meet your requirements ; and it is clearly your duty, under such circumstances, to make arrangements independently of them to carry out the wishes of the Government. 3. The Province of Taranaki attaches great importance to ships being sent direct to New Plymouth with immigrants, and I cannot understand why ships cannot be obtained for that port, considering that for many years vessels did trade there regularly from London, and that no circumstances which lam aware of render the anchorage less safe at present than during the period referred to. As the Shipping Companies amongst whom your business is divided were not willing to lay a ship on for New Plymouth, you have probably endeavoured to find some one else who would do so. I hope you have succeeded in this, and that by this time a vessel is on her way. If not, you will please consider my instructions positive to secure a direct ship immediately upon receipt of this letter, with others to follow, in accordance with my instructions in a letter No. 57, of 12th March, 1874. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 72. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 130.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, Bth May, 1874. I have the honor to forward to you herewith, two copies of the " New Zealand Handbook," which I have already advised you I was having prepared. It has been printed here solely for the sake of enabling the editing to be effected with greater facility. 2. I have decided that the book shall be printed and published in England, because probably you will be able to get it done to greater advantage, and because, as the work is meant chiefly for circulation at home, it is desirable to avoid the trouble and cost of shipping so large a number of copies as must necessarily be printed. 3. Another reason which influences me in deciding to have the work printed in England is, that you will be able to get the illustrations better executed there. 4. I append a list of photographs which will be forwarded to you by this mail. You will observe that two or three from Hawke's Bay will probably be sent to you direct by the Superintendent of that Province, and that several of those which were exhibited at Vienna, and thence returned to you, are suggested as suitable to be added, to be included as illustrations of the book. If you have in your possession any others which you may think it desirable to be added, I should be obliged by your adding them. You may find it too expensive to use all these photographs, in which case I leave it to your discretion to omit some. In case you should omit any, I shall be glad if you will make the omissions in fair proportions as regards the Provinces, remembering their relative importance and size. 5. I send you also, to be reproduced for the book, two maps which have been corrected for railways, road lines, &c, to date. 6. As regards the mode or modes of reproducing the various photographs and the maps, I must ask you to be good enough to decide. The Heliotype process will be found, possibly, too expensive or not suitable. Dr. Hector thinks that wood engraving will probably prove to be the best process, reduction or enlargement being effected as may be necessary. I desire that the photographs and maps should be reproduced in a style equal to good average English work, whatever may be the style you desire to adopt. 7. With respect to the matter of the book, Ido not, of course, submit it to you for revision. But you are at liberty to add anything you may think desirable, with the view of informing emigrants, or those who may desire to emigrate to New Zealand, how they can best avail themselves of the machinery of your department. 8. I must necessarily ask you to cause to be prepared, as the printing progresses, a useful Index to the contents of the book, as well as to insure that the blanks in the " List of Papers and their Authors " shall be filled in correctly with the numbers of the pages. Generally I shall be obliged if care is taken to insure accuracy of typography. 9. As to the number of copies to be printed, I leave you to exercise your discretion, merely saying that I think the number should be very large, and that I desire you to send 5,000 copies to my care, in Wellington, for circulation in the Colonies. 10. I suggest for inquiry, whether it might not be well to incur the cost of stereotyping the work, so that you might be able to procure copies in such numbers as you found necessary, instead of ordering a very large impression at the outset 11. I desire that the Handbook should not be given away: publications that do not cost anything are rarely valued by their recipients. But I should wish it to be given in certain cases, where a desire is shown to possess it; and I think that you should forward it to any Athenaeum, Mechanics' Institute, or Library, the managers of which,may apply for it, requiring them to pay only the postage or other cost of carriage. To the Press generally throughout the United Kingdom you should send a copy. 12. You should also place on board each emigrant vessel six copies for the use of the emigrants. 13. I leave to your decision the publishing price of the book. 14. I think that a plan which is adopted in the United States might be followed with great advantage —that, namely, of allowing a stated small profit per copy to travelling agents, who undertake to

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go through the United Kingdom selling the book. I believe that four or five such agents would find themselves well remunerated under such an arrangement, and that, in conformity with what has been found to be the case in America, the Handbook would be bought and read by many who would make valuable settlers, but who would never be reached by any other mode of publication, nor influenced by any ordinary agency. In whatever you add to the Handbook concerning your regulations, &c, you should make it clear, as is already stated in the Handbook, that the Government do not undertake to continue to grant free passages. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 73. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 135.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 22nd May, 1874. I have the honor to forward for your information copy of correspondence which has taken place with the Chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Company, in March last, respecting their combination with other firms engaged in the New Zealand trade, to raise the rates for conveyance of emigrants to the Colony. But for an accidental omission, this correspondence would have been forwarded to you at an earlier date. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 73. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch. (Telegram.) Wellington, 9th March, 1874. By telegram from London, we are informed that the New Zealand Shipping Company have ioined with the Albion Company and Shaw, Savill, and Co., to ask the Government of New Zealand £16 for carriage of emigrants. It has also been publicly stated that the combination extends to the rates chargeable for freight. When all the protestations of the New Zealand Company against such a combination, all its declarations that its object was to upset and destroy a baneful monopoly, and the consequent arrangement Avhich the Government made with it, with the desire to assist it in resisting such a monopoly, are borne in mind, you may gather the feeling with which this intelligence is received by the Government. If it be true, then the monopoly which the Government temporarily granted to the Company was obtained on a false understanding, and instead of the Company being a benefit to the Government and people of the Colony, it will only add to the difficulty of the Government, and to the cost of carrying on the business of immigration and public works. I place before you the feelings of the Government on the subject, in order that you should fully realize the importance which I attach to the answer I have to request you to make to the following question :—ls the Company prepared to give me the assurance that it will immediately cable home, absolutely instructing its officers to withdraw from all combination with other firms, and that it will in future conduct its business independently ? lam aware of negotiations between the Company and the Albion Company, but looking at what took place in respect to the Auckland Company, and all the surroundings and circumstances, there would seem to be ample reason to suppose that the Albion Company's London business has been constituted for the purpose of forming a link between Shaw, Savill, and Co., and the New Zealand Shipping Company, and disarming the latter. Julius Vogel. The Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch.

Enclosure 2 in No. 73. The Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company, to the Hon. J. Vogel. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 9th March, 1874. Your telegram too important for me to answer without consulting the Board. Personally, I should object to pledge the Company to the course you propose, nor should I be prepared to advise the Board to do so. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. Reeves, Chairman.

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Enclosure 3 in No. 73. The Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company, to the Hon. the Premier. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 11th March, 1871. The Board have met, and after having given full consideration, state that they regret not to be able to comply with your request. They wish to point out that when the Company first contracted with the Government, they had no idea that the adoption of free immigration would follow, and more than double the shipping requirements of the Government. This has largely increased the difficulty and cost of supply, and yet we have carried out our engagements with a liberality which has involved us on many occasions in serious loss. That the Agent-General has. not always shown a responding consideration for us, but has rejected ships that have satisfied the Imperial Government, thereby putting us to serious loss and inconvenience. That the AgentGeneral states he will send 30,000 emigrants during the coming year: that these will require at least 120 ships, and will tax the united efforts of all the firms engaged in the New Zealand shipping trade. That the ordinary exports to New Zealand, combined with the railway plant, will be quite inadequate to furnish all these ships with a fair proportion of cargo, and, therefore, that the cost of conveyance of the emigrants must, as a matter of course, become greater, specially as ships become every month more difficult to charter, the Company having now to pay a pound a ton more than it did eight months ago for the outward charter of the same class of ships. Actuated as we are by a desire to satisfy the Government requirements, and feeling that this can best be done by uniting with other shipowners in offering to do the work of the Government on the most reasonable terms, we do not feel justified in forbidding our London agents to act conjointly with others in this case. We would add that the terms offered, viz. £16 per adult, compare favourably with those paid by the Governments of New South Wales and South Australia, who give sixteen guineas, though the business of your Government is more difficult and arduous, from its extent, from the number of ports in the Colony, and the small choice of vessels offering for charter. Moreover, we learn that the Agent-General proposes to enforce a new dietary scale, costing at least 10s. a head more than the present. I may add that the Board has read with extreme regret that part of your telegram which implies that if the company now joins with other shipping firms in an offer to conduct the Government business on reasonable terms, it will, in your opinion, have obtained a previous contract from you on something like false pretences. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. Reeves, Chairman.

Enclosure 4 in No. 73. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company. (Telegram.) Wellington, 21st March, 1874. In reply to yours of 11th, there can be no doubt the monopoly was given temporarify to you on the understanding that it would assist you in starting, and in your object of upsetting the previous long-subsisting shipping monopoly. Repeated verbal communications, and correspondence which was commenced by the Chairman of the Provisional Directors, as well as the prospectus of the Company, show that the Company was to be managed from the Colony, and that its object ■was to upset the shipping monopoly. Indeed, the Chairman of the Provisional Directors expressly stated the objects to be, " To secure to the Colony increased shipping facilities; to check the absolute monopoly hitherto held by one shipowning and shipbroking firm, which is felt to be detrimental to the trade and general interests of the Colony, and to insure the employment of a good class of ships, but not to create within the Colony a monopoly which might prove more powerful, if not more injurious, than that which at present exists." I have only to add that it seems to me the large increase of business should have strengthened the Company in their principal object, and not have induced them to abandon it. Julius Vogel. The Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch.

No. 74. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agext-Geneual. (Telegram.) Wellington, 23rd May, 1874. Desire to impress upon you that total number of free emigrants despatched from Ist March to end of year is not to exceed twenty-five thousand. Featherston, London. Vogel. 6—D. 1.

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No. 75. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 141.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, Ist June, 1874. Under separate cover I have acknowledged the receipt of your telegram dated 4th May. In respect to that portion of it copy of which appears at foot, lam glad to observe that you have adopted the plan of chartering vessels, until the shipping firms agreed to be contented with the rate of passage money which, in a previous telegram, you stated you considered a fair one. You will forgive me for reminding you how strongly the Government had previously impressed on you the necessity of chartering vessels, so as to resist the monopolizing tendencies of the shipping companies, and how little weight you attached to the recommendation. When I am acquainted with the terms of the charter to which you refer, I shall be in a better position to judge of the wisdom of binding yourself to the shipping companies until the end of the year, at the rate of £14 10s. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel. Extract from Telegram referred to above. London, 4th May, 1874. * * * * * * After chartering five ships, arranged with three firms £14 10s. till end December. ****** Vogel, Wellington. Featherston.

No. 76. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 150.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th June, 1874. Referring to my letter No. 130, of Bth May, accompanying copies of the " New Zealand Handbook/ which I requested you to cause to be printed and circulated, I have now the honor to forward a corrected copy thereof. 2. The corrections are confined to the section headed " Latest Statistics," and they have been made for the purpose of embodying the most nearly-completed results of the late census. 3. For convenience sake, I append revises of the three portions of " Latest Statistics " which have been corrected. Upon each is written directions as to its substitution for matter contained in the copies of the Handbook forwarded to you by the last mail. 4. I shall not send any other corrections or modifications of the Handbook; and I hope soon to be informed by you that you have arranged for its speedy publication. 5. A separate corrected copy, and a separate set of revises, will be posted by the Suez Mail, which leaves to-morrow. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 77. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 156.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th June, 1874. I have the honor to enclose copy of a telegram just received from the Superintendent of Canterbury, relative to arrangements being made in emigrant ships whereby shepherds will be enabled to bring their dogs with them without full payment in cash for their passages. I shall be glad if you can give effect to His Honor's wishes. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure in No. 77. His Honor the Superintendent, Canterbury, to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 4th June, 1874. Sheep dogs are charged £5 each on board ship. Good shepherds and dogs are inseparable; and the former cannot afford to pay for the latter. Could Agent-General make arrangements by which shepherds might bring dogs on giving part payment in cash and part in promissory notes ? Hon. Julius Vogel, Wellington. W. Rolleston.

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No. 78. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 157.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1114, of April 4th r enclosing copy of a memorandum of agreement with Mr. Hill, for the establishment of an emigration depot at Blackwall. 2. I very much regret the agreement you have made. 3. It is most desirable that the English depot should be under your own charge and management, so that you could make your own regulations, and could deal with intending emigrants as might be found convenient. 4. I cannot agree with you that the arrangement you have made will be far more economical than having a depot in your own hands. Mr. Hill is not likely to undertake the work from any other motive than that of making profit, so that it seems to me you are merely loading thedepartment with Mr. Hill's profit in addition to the necessary ordinary expenditure. 5. The saving you say you will be able to make in the cost of a permanent staff appears to me to be precisely the kind of saving it is undesirable to make; for I believe that, notwithstanding the arrangement, you will find it desirable to have your own officers at the depot. 6. For example, there has been great reason to complain, with respect to the Plymouth depot, of the inefficient medical inspection there; and it will no doubt be necessary to have a medical officer in the service of the department at the Blackwall depot. 7. You may say that Mr. Hill proposes to accommodate other emigrants than those for New Zealand, and that therefore the expenses of the establishment will be so distributed as to make the cost less to the Colony than if the establishment were maintained solely for the New Zealand emigrants. But if it really be intended that the depot shall be open to other than New Zealand emigrants,—and I do not see anything in the agreement to prevent it, —that, again, would be a most objectionable feature. What we require is a place in which we can keep emigrants for New Zealand and no others, so that our own officers would be able to observe the conduct of the people, to watch their health, and ship them from time to time as might be found most desirable. 8. Similar remarks apply to the first outlay which you congratulate yourself on saving. It is to be presumed Mr. Hill will not spend money without a very fair assurance of being repaid; and the department is as well, if not better, able to make the investment as Mr. Hill. There seem to me to be more objections to farming the depot in England than to adopting a similar course with the depots in the Colony. But were such a course proposed in the Colony it would meet with universal opposition. 9. The agreement seems to me to be very loosely drawn for the protection of the emigrants. Whilst there is no doubt of the liability you incur, there is very grave doubt of what you are to get in return. Mr. Hill does not undertake to give New Zealand emigrants the preference over others, nor does he engage to find provision for any stated number, though you have to pay on all deficiencies on the number you engage to supply over a term of three years. Again, you are to give two days' pay for the emigrants who go into depot over night and leave the next morning. In other words, you are to give for a bed, breakfast, and tea 4s. 6d., a sum which seems to me preposterously high. I have urged you on a previous occasion to keep emigrants in depot in advance of the sailing of the ships. Your agreement will interpose a great difficulty in the way of this being done, since you bind yourself to send the heavy baggage direct to the ship. Apart from the hardship of separating the emigrants as they arrive in town from their baggage, who is to decide what constitutes heavy baggage ? The mere reference to the accommodation provided at Plymouth does not appear to me to be sufficient to secure for the emigrants adequate accommodation. I notice, also, that the agreement provides only for emigrants who are toembark in London, whereas, although the depot is near London, it may be desirable to embark the emigrants at Gravesend or elsewhere. The agreement, in short, has evidently not been prepared by a lawyer, or been subjected to a lawyer's revision, a course which it seems to me should have been considered necessary in regard to a document covering so heavy an engagement. 10. I shall be glad to receive any proposal which Mr. Hill may be ready to make for transferring to the Government his interest in the Blackwall depot; but before finally agreeing to any such proposal, you will permit me to ask you to submit it to me. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 79. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 159.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 12th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1192, relative to the agencies you have established in Ireland, and remarking upon my letter No. 32, of the 1 lth February.

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I have already, in my telegram of 7th May, and in my letter No. 129, of 7th May, placed you in possession of the views of the Government with regard to the appointment of Mrs. Howard, and the action taken by that person. As I presume that long before this you have dispensed with her services, it is not necessary that I should make any further comments. I am glad to receive your assurance that the returns about to be forwarded to me will show that a fair proportion of Irish emigrants have been secured. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 80. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 160.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 12th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1185, of 17th April, 1874, enclosing copy of a communication addressed to you by the Honorary Secretary of the British Ladies' Female Emigrant Society, in which an application is made for a grant of money in aid of the funds of the Society, and also the 25th Annual Report of the Society. I have read with much interest your letter and the enclosure ; and fully recognizing the very valuable character of the work of the Society, I have great pleasure in authorizing an annual subscription of 100 guineas, in accordance with your recommendation, so long as emigration to this Colony continues upon the present large scale; and I desire that you will convey to the Society the thanks of the Government of New Zealand for the beneficial influence exercised in the conduct of female emigration. I observe with regret, in the Annual Report, that the Plymouth and Stonehouse Auxiliary branch of the Society has been dissolved, principally, it would appear, owing to the fact that for some time past1 the ladies of the Plymouth Committee and their agent had been refused admission into the depot. This was probably before the Government had anything to do with the depot; but in the event of the branch being re-organized, I trust you will give positive instructions that the ladies and their agent shall have at all times free access to the emigrants. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 81. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 162.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 13th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1203, of 17th April, 1874, in which you refer to my letter of 6th February relative to Mr. Carter's meeting in Oxfordshire, explaining the action you have taken with regard to the several Agricultural Labourers' Unions. I am glad to hear that you have been in constant communication with the Executive Committees of these bodies, and have lost no opportunity of enlisting their interest in New Zealand as a suitable field for emigration. I look for the happiest results from the settlement in the Colony of respectable labourers from the agricultural districts of England. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 82. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 164.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 15th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1145, of 16th April, 1874, referring to the s.s. " Atrato," and explaining the reasons which induced you to charter that vessel, notwithstanding her unlucky antecedents. Whilst perfectly satisfied with your explanation that you were justified in taking up the " Atrato" by the official report of the Secretary of the Board of Trade, I still think that her reputation renders her an undesirable ship for future employment in the conveyance of emigrants to this Colony. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

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No. 83. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 165.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 15th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1198, of 4th April, 1874, having reference to the suggestion in my letter No. 289-73, that you endeavour to arrange with Messrs. Patrick Henderson and Co. that their contract should be taken up by yourself, so that the payments could be properly and directly authorized by you, and thus avoid any possible difficulty with the Commissioners of Audit. I have read your remarks upon the subject with great care, and, upon due consideration, I think it better to leave the question of the adoption or not of Mr. Auld's contract to your own discretion, with the distinct understanding that the accounts are forwarded to the Department in a manner which will satisfy the Commissioners of Audit, and that the necessary information respecting the ships and the emigrants is supplied in detail, as you state it will be in future. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 84. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-General. (No. 167.) Sir,- — Immigration Office, "Wellington, 15th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1202, of 17th April, 1874, in which, referring to my telegram of 22nd October, 1873, you state that there is every prospect of my wishes with regard to the number of emigrants despatched being complied with, provided the necessary tonnage can be obtained, and remarking upon the difficulties connected therewith. 2. I am very glad to observe the facility with which it appears that emigrants can now be obtained, in consequence of the action of Agricultural Unions, and also to receive your assurance that these bodies are working heartily with you. I have in previous communications urgently impressed upon you, that under a system of free passages there is an urgent necessity for stringent caution in selection and approval, as well as, naturally, an undoubted right to exercise the same. 3. I am much gratified to learn that the reports sent home by emigrants to their friends continue so favourable and encouraging as to have a very perceptible influence upon directing a stream of emigrants to the Colony, notwithstanding the opposition of, and the difficulties thrown in the way of emigration, by the employers of labour, who, you state, constantly refuse to sign- the certificates of character for intending emigrants. 4. I do not think it necessary to comment upon the latter part of your letter, which refers to the scarcity of tonnage, and the combination of the three shipping companies to raise the rate of passage-money from £14 10s. to £16, as I have since the date of this letter received your telegram dated 4th May, stating that after chartering five ships on your own account, you had arranged with the three firms at £14 10s. until the end of December. It appears, therefore, that I have been, right in assuming that vessels could be obtained for charter if exertions were made in the proper quarters; and lam very glad that you have succeeded in doing this, and so effectually breaking down the monopoly under which we were suffering, and reducing the passage-money to be paid to.the shipping companies from £16 to £14 10s., thus saving a very large expense to the Government. 5. You inform me that you might probably have chartered the "Great Britain/ and two other steamers of above 4,000 tons register, but that it was in each case a sine qua non that they should be permitted to call at Melbourne. With such a condition, I entirely approve of your withdrawing from the negotiation, in accordance with my instructions conveyed to you in my telegram of 11th October, 1873. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel. By Authority : Ghorgb Didsbtjby, Gorernment Printer, Wellington.—lB74. Price Is. 9<£]