PAPERS RELATING TO IMMIGRATION

7

D.—No. 3

No. 7. The Hon. W. Gisborne to His Honor T. B. Gillies. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 21th January, 1871. Adverting to your Honor's letter No. 165, of the 9th ultimo, in which you stated that you would lose no time in consulting the Provincial Council in reference to the operation of the Public Works and Immigration Act within the Province of Auckland, I should feel much obliged by being favoured with your Honor's views and also those of the Provincial Council in reference thereto. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. W. Gisborne.

No. 8. His Honor T. B. Gillies to the Hon. W. Gisbosne. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 31st January, 1871. In reply to your letter No. 23, of date the 24th instant, I have the honor to forward herewith copy of resolutions adopted by the Auckland Provincial Council in reference to the operation of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870," within the Province, and to state that I concur with the Council in the views expressed by them in such resolutions. Upon receipt of your letter dated the 3rd December ultimo, I lost no time in consulting the Provincial Council upon the subject, but they failed to arrive at any conclusion before the 27th instant (last Friday). I have, &c, Thomas B. Gillies, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure in No. 8. Address No. 127.—Session XXVI. (Extract from the Journals of the Auckland Provincial Council, Friday, 27th January, 1571.) Resolved, That in recommending, in Address No. 29, that "purchases calculated to effect or to aid in the extinguishment of Native title over the gold field should have the preference before any other purchases whatsoever," this Couucil had in view the great advantage which the Province would derive from extinguishing the Native title over the gold field, but it did not intend that this recommendation " should be a bar to the Superintendent's consenting to other purchases" of Native land calculated to promote settlement, as the Hon. the Colonial Secretary would appear to infer from his letter to His Honor the Superintendent. This Council believes that the extinguishment of the Native title over all or a considerable portion of the gold field would largely aid in making the colonizing scheme of the General Government a success in the Province, by enabling the Provincial Government to offer more liberal terms to capitalists and miners to develop its mineral resources, thereby stimulating the active work of colonization. This Council, however, whilst considering the extinguishment of the Native title over the gold fields to be of more importance to the Province than any other probable purchase of Native land, does not and did not intend to recommend that it should have the exclusive attention of the Government. Resolved, That this Council intended by its third resolution, Address No. 29, to avail itself of the provisions of Part V. of the Immigration and Public Works Act, with the view of promoting speedy settlement of" The Waste Lands Act (Auckland), 1870," so far as this could legally be done. Resolved, That the classes of immigrants most desirable for this Province are those of small farmers, agricultural labourers, single women, and relatives of residents in the Province. That to single women free passages should be granted, and assisted passages to the other classes, to such extent as the Provincial Executive may deem advisable from time to time; and that every encouragement, consistent with the Waste Lands Acts in force within the Province, should be given to companies or associations sending out bodies of immigrants. Resolved, That this Council recommends that the following railway should be undertaken by the Colonial Government, in pursuance of clause C of " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870:"— A continuation of the line from Auckland to Waikato, by the valley of the Waikato to the frontier settlements of the Waikato Delta ; and that, if practicable, it should be carried out under the guarantee by the Colony of 6 per cent, upon the outlay. Resolved, That an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to forward these resolutions to His Excellency the Governor, in accordance with the terms of the Gth section of" The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870." G. Maurice O'Boeke, Speaker.

No. 9. The Hon. W. Gisboene to His Honor T. B. Gillies. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 6th June, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st January last, forwarding a resolution of the Provincial Council of the Province of Auckland, relative to immigration and public works. The Government would have had much pleasure in at once giving their most favourable consideration to the wishes expressed by the Provincial Council in reference to immigration; but as your Honor is aware, a delay has necessarily been caused by the uncertainty existing in reference to the financial mission to London of the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer. That uncertainty having been successfully