A.—No. 1.

able delay in its final completion, owing to the difficulty of procuring from the several Provinces full information respecting some minor statistical details connected with the census of last year. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Eamberley. G. E. BOWEN.

No. 47. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimberley. (No. 13.) Government House, Wellington, My Loud,- — New Zealand, 14th January, 1872. I have the honor to report that I received, by the last English mail, and have communicated to my Responsible Advisers and to the Attorney-General of this Colony, your Lordship's Despatches Nos. 75 and 76, of the 26th October ultimo, respecting the questions arising out of the case Hegina v. Barton. 2. These Despatches will be also laid before the New Zealand Parliament at the opening of the next Session. Meanwhile, the instructions and recommendations which they contain will be faithfully carried out. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley. G. E. BOWEN.

No. 48. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Bight Hon. the Earl of Kimbekley. (No. 14.) Government House, Wellington, My Lord, — New Zealand, 15th January, 1872. I propose in this Despatch to furnish your Lordship with information respecting the public works and the schemes of immigration undertaken or projected by the Government of New Zealand, in pursuance of several recent Acts of the Colonial Parliament. 2. In the Financial Statements of the Colonial Treasurer (Mr. Vogel) for 1870 and 1871, and in other official documents transmitted by me in due course during the last two years, will be found the general features of the policy of the present Ministry concerning public works and immigration; and in several Acts passed during recent Sessions of the Legislature will be found the specific undertakings finally authorized, including railways, roads, harbour works, and waterworks for the gold fields, &c. The schedules to the Act 35 Viet., No. 76, contain the lines of railway sanctioned. For the construction of several of these railways, contracts have already been made with Mr. James Brogden (a partner in the eminent English firm of Messrs. Brogden and Sons), who is now in New Zealand. An authentic statement of the arrangements with Mr. Brogden (so far as they have been hitherto completed) has been communicated to the local journals, and is enclosed herewith. 3. It is obvious that it would not be prudent to enter upon such extensive public works as those contemplated, without at the same time providing for a corresponding addition to the labour market of the Colony. Accordingly, instructions have been sent to the Agent-General in England (Mr. Eeatherston), to make arrangements for a continuous stream of immigration from the United Kingdom and from the Continent of Europe, to the extent stated in the annexed Memorandum. 4. I further forward a memorandum of the agreement made by the Colonial Government with Colonel the Honourable William Eeilding, who recently visited . New Zealand on behalf of the " Emigrant and Colonists Aid Corporation " of London, of which Society the Duke of Manchester is Chairman. It will be seen that, after personal examination, Colonel Eeilding purchased for the Corporation, on the conditions explained in the enclosure, one hundred and six thousand (106,000) .acres of land in the Manawatu District, on the West Coast of this Island, and about

Enclosure 1. Extract from Wellington Independent of Dec. 20, 1871.

Enclosure 2. Memo, on Immigration. Enclosure 3. Memo, of agreement witli Colonel Pelleting.

Enclosure 3.

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DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF