8.--No. Ia

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE

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must not be set lower than 500 specie dollars (£1,125). The security is liable for all engagements which the Agent may be subjected to as regards his contracts with the emigrants or infringements of this law. " 4. The security deposited cannot be demanded back before the responsibility of the Agent is assumed to have ceased, which is usually supposed to be after the expiration of six months from his having ceased to continue the business. " 5. In case he has undertaken to forward the emigrants to countries situated on the other side of the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn, this assumption shall not take place till after the expiration of one year. " 6. The security given may at any time be required to be increased up to the limit stipulated in clause 2. "7. If any emigrant has complaint to make respecting non-fulfilment of the contract, such complaint should bo immediately preferred to the nearest Consul. " 8. When a decision is given against the Agent, the Government will cause the compensation due to the emigrant to be made good so far as the security suffices." By the laws of Sweden it is enacted, — " 1. The Emigration Agent, who must be domiciled in Sweden, cannot act without first having obtained a license from the ' Collegium.' On a license being granted, the Agent will be required to fnrnish security to an amount not less than £556, nor more than £3,336. "2. The security given by Agents cannot be returned until after the expiration of two years from that for which it was rendered ; and if at such time any demand for indemnification shall still be pending, an amount equal to the demand shall be retained by the ' Collegium ' until the question is finally settled." Eegulations equally stringent are in force both in Germany and Denmark. Mr. Friberg is of course not prepared to give any such securities, and I do not feel myself justified in entering into them on the part of the Government, having already engaged Agents in respect to whose proceedings no liability attaches or can attach to the Government. Believing, however, that Mr. Friberg might be useful in procuring emigrants, especially in the country between Gothenburg and Stockholm, I have sent him to Sweden, in the hope that he may be able to make some arrangement with a licensed Agent, by which he might act on behalf of such Agent, without the necessity of giving any security. Though he left some ten days ago, I have not received any report of his proceedings. I have, <fee, I. E. Featheeston, The Hon. W. Gisborne, Wellington, New Zealand. Agent-General.

No. 17. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretaey. (No. 169) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Ste,— 7th March, 1872. I have the honor to inform you that although I have had several interviews with the Messrs. Brogden, on the subject of the proposed emigration contract, I have not yet arrived at any definite understanding with them. Messrs. Brogden are, in fact, —owing to the non-arrival of the December mail, —so entirely without advices from Mr. James Brogden, that they scarcely feel themselves in a position to enter into any arrangement. I have, however, reason to believe that on the arrival of the mail they will be prepared to agree to the proposals submitted to Mr. James Brogden, with certain modifications. In the meantime they are engaging a considerable number of men on terms which appear to me fair and reasonable. They hope to send out 150 by the " Schiehallion," which will sail for Wellington on the 27th instant. I have, &c, I. E. Featheeston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, New Zealand. Agent-General.

No. 18. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (No 201.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sic- 4th April, 1872. I have the honor to inform you that no arrangement has been come to in respect to the emigration to be conducted by the Messrs. Brogden. My proposal to them is, that they should take promissory notes from the emigrants to the amount of £16 per statute adult, and that they should give to the Government their own promissory notes for £12 per statute adult, payable over a period to be agreed upou. This allows them a nominal profit of 25 per cent, to cover their risk of recovering the whole amount of the promissory notes given to them by their emigrants. But they demur to this, and intend sending in a counter proposal, which will (I gather from the conversations I have had with them) be to this effect: —They will take promissory notes -from' the emigrants for £16 per statute adult; will make certain specified reductions per diem from the wages of the emigrants employed by them ; will pay over all such recoveries to the Government; and the Government shall reap the profit or bear the loss of such a transaction. Until I receive their counter proposal it is useless to discuss it. I may, however, at once state