D.—No. 2.

I am also desirous of knowing how soon the lands may be brought into the market. I have from the first endeavoured to impress upon the General Government my conviction that the success of the scheme must depend upon making speedy provision for the employment of the labour which has been so suddenly introduced mi o the province, and foresee that a largely increased expenditure must be incurred for the maintenance of these people unless the means are found of enabling them to maintain themselves by their own exertions. Eegulations embodying the conditions of sale proposed by me were forwarded on the 28th January, but as yet I have not received a reply. In consequence of the expected arrival of five more ships with immigrants, the necessity for Onewhero being placed at my early disposal becomes the more urgent. I have, &c, KoiiEKT GItAHAM, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. No. 27. The Hon. Colonial Secketatcy to the Sui'ekintkjsdknt, Auckland. Sib, — Colonial Secretary's Office, "Wellington, Bth March, 1565. The Government will feel obliged by your Honor giving them such information as may be in your power respecting the progress made in the location of immigrants and the disposal of the confiscated blocks of land. It appears to the Government that, assiuning sufficient provision to have been now made for the immigrants either actually arrived or expected, steps may be taken for selling the unappropriated parts of such blocks. Your Honor will no doubt concur in this view, and I have therefore to request that you will be good enough to favor me, with as little delay as possible, with exact plans and particulars of the land which may be offered for sale to the public, together with such regulations and plans of sale as your Honor may in each case think suitable. The Government will be desirous, as soon as possible, to give effect to your Honor's views on tin's question ; though, of course, it must reserve to itself a right of final judgment upon the proposals which your Honor may submit. 1 shall be glad to receive any further suggestions from your Honor in reference to this important subject. As regards the Tuakau Block, the Government will be ready to accept a fair proposal from the Provincial Government for the purchase of that block in bulk. I have, &c, 11. A. Atkinson, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. (For the Colonial Secretary.) No. 28. The Hon. Colonial Secbetaky, to the Superintendent, Auckland. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, loth March, 1865. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Honor's letter No. 268, of the 4th instant, relative to the location of immigrants introduced by the General Government into the Province of Auckland, and to thank your Honor for the information which it contains on that subject. I proceed to reply to the points respectively on which you desire the instructions of the Government. Ist. The Government are not aware, of any promise to the immigrants of an advance of supply of timber for their houses, and the Government cannot incur any expense iii the location of immigrants beyond what is strictly necessary. 2nd. The application for free rations on a Sunday cannot be admitted. 3rd. The Government cannot at present sanction the location of immigrants south of the "VVaikato and Pa pa rat a. 4th. With reference to the public employment of immigrants, J would observe (as stated by Mr. Reader Wood to Mr. Clark, in a letter dated June the 2nd, 18G4) "that it is not part of the present plan to secure the services of a numl er of labourers exclusively for the Government. The object is by combining capital and labour to create self-supporting settlements. The public works must not be looked upon as a constant resource. They may i c fully relied upon in the first instance to secure to the settlers a fair start, but they must not be trusted to as a means of permanent subsistence. For this the emigrant must look to his own energy, to his land, and to the employment which the ordinary business of the settlement will afford." sth. On the subject of the sale of lands, I have 1o refer your Honor to my letter No. 76, of the Bth instant. The Government will use every endeavour to place some land in the market without delay, and they are anxiously awaiting the proposed regulations of sale to which your Honor refers as enclosed in your letter of the 28th January last, but which letter has not, as far as I can learn, ever been received. I have to request your Honor to be good enough in future to transmit to me monthly estimates in detail of the probable expense on account of the immigrants for the succeeding month These estimates should be forwarded sufficiently early to enable the Government both to check the accounts and to make the necessary financial arrangements. I have, &c., His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. Feed. A. Weld.

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CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO MAINTENANCE