D.—No. la.

6

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE

per week to pay into a sick club, which would assist him in case of illness. In old age, he said, Tie should have to seek relief from the parish. There were some eligible persons, who had saved a little money, who were prepared to emigrate to New Zealand; but, while I asked £5 paid down, I found that there were several agents for the Province of Canterbury offering to take them, say, for £2 or £3. This placed me at a great disadvantage amongst a population to whom a very small sum of money is a great object, and certain to turn the scale in a bargain in favour of the agent who offers to take even 10s. or 20s. less for a passage to New Zealand than another agent would do. Under the circumstances just enumerated, I venture respectfully but earnestly to suggest the desirability of there being but one code of Immigration Regulations for the whole of the Provinces of New Zealand. I have, &c, To I. E. Featherston, Esq., Agent-General for New Zealand. C. R. Caetee.

Enclosure 2 in No. 4s, Rev. P. Baeclat to Dr. Featheeston. Mt deae Sic, — Edinburgh, 80th September, 1871. I have at last found time to write out my report on Skye, &c. For, since I saw you, I have had a great many things to attend to. Beyond recommending a few girls for Hawke's Bay, to go out by the free-passage system, I think it better to do nothing in re for a time ; although, indeed, I might advertise for those girls, and get a few more of them. I think it better to send up Mr. Ormond's letter. I have not much head for business, and fear I do not understand his scheme thoroughly. Please return it, as it remains unanswered. Tou are, of course, at liberty to do what you will with my report, to print it wholly or partly, to send it to New Zealand, &c. It should have been rewritten, but lam busy. I have been occupied with Church matters since seeing you, to some extent. Mr. Bruce leaves in the " Caduceus," about the 12th October ; also a Mr. Sidey, wdio takes the Presbyterian charge at Napier, which I held ; and a Mr. Hamilton, for Kaipara Settlement. I have been occupied trying to get some help for the Napier people, who are to get up a Manse. As it is to be done by a bazaar in Kapier, or rather partly done in that way, I shall be kept in Edinburgh for the next six weeks, corresponding, receiving goods, packing, &c. Thereafter, if it were thought advisable, I might run down to Aberdeenshire and on to Stornoway. I am certainly not anxious to go on so far, but should not object if any good were likely to be accomplished. Could you come to Edinburgh on the 18th October ? The Free Church Committees meet on the 19th (Tuesday), and you might address the Colonial Committee, and have some conversation with the members thereof. It might do them a great deal of good, for they have much need, both clergy and laity, to hear common sense and truth about the Colonies. lam sorry to add that some of them are very slow to take in such goods. Tou could see a good many people in Edinburgh,—a good time to see them, —and perhaps run to Skye and Inverness. There are Alinisters and Committees of other Churches, also, who could be seen, especially those connected with the three large Presbyterian bodies of this land. lam just summoned to run across to Fife for duty to-morrow. But I have written enough to you for one day. I have, &c, ;;.; Dr. Featherston, London. P. Baeolat. P.S. —Tou will note I have freely expressed my opinions in the report, although I know that in some things they differ from yours. But it seems best to act thus. 1 shall be very glad if you can Come about the 18th. —P. B.

Enclosure 3 in No. 4. Notes of a Visit to Stke, &c, in furtherance of Emigration to New Zealand. It was arranged by Mr. Morrison that I should go to Skye, that I might speak of emigration schemes to the people there. As the Rev. D. Bruce, of Auckland, was in the country, I proposed that he should go with me, which was agreed to, £ 10 being allowed to each for expenses. Our fixing on Skye as a likely place from which emigrants might be expected to go, was determined — 1. By the fact that I knew the Island to be over-peopled 2. By my being personally acquainted with Captain Eraser of Uig, &c, one of the chief proprietors of the Island. I had seen him recently in Edinburgh, when he kindly invited me to his residence in Skye, and expressed himself as much interested in the New Zealand emigration scheme, of which I spoke to him. 3. We could, in going to Skye, find easy access to Plockton, on Mr. Matheson's (M.P.) west coast property, at Loch Carron, &c, from which twenty-five emigrants had gone in May, after my writing at the request of Mr. Morrison, with whom Mr. Matheson had been conferring. We landed at Portree on Saturday, 26th August, and went on to Captain Eraser's, at Uig Lodge, in the northern part of the Island. With him and with Mr. Peacock, W.S., Edinburgh (Agent for Cluny Gordon), we had much conversation, and the impression left on our minds was that if the immigration scheme were cautiously and wisely worked, a good deal might be done in those parts. We had a meeting at Uig on