AGENT-GENERAL, LONDON.

25

D.—No. la.

Enclosure in No. 23. Mr. B. E. Friberg to the Agent-General. Sir,— London, 11th April, 1872. In accordance with instructions, I left London for Sweden via Germany on the 9th March. Messrs. Shaw, Saville, and Co. had kindly provided me with a letter of introduction to a correspondent of theirs, M. August Behrens, in Hamburg. My object in seeing M. Bchrens, in Hamburg, was, if possible, to come to some arrangements with him, who I understand is largely engaged in emigration business, as to overcome the difficulty that exists in the shape of security required by the Swedish Government of Emigration Agents. M. Behrens informed me that he, through his agent in Gothenburg, had rendered the required security — 60,000 Swedish rixdollars, and, after having received an answer to some inquiries put to Messrs. Shaw, Saville, and Co., he declared himself willing to enter into the undertaking with me, on tho conditions which I could preliminarily offier, namely, half of the capitation allowance coming to me. Our agreement was only a preliminary one ; firstly, because I was bound by instructions to have any such arrangement sanctioned by you; secondly, because I desired, before making any formal agreement, to see M. Behrens' Gothenburg agent, Mr. David Lyons, to whom I received a letter of introduction. I may here add that I had no opportunity for delivering that letter, as Mr. Lyons had left Gothenburg for America in November last. Already on the voyage from Germany to Sweden we experienced, for the time of the year, an extraordinary inclemency of weather, and on arriving at " Malmo," one of the southernmost ports of Sweden, our steamer had literally to work its way through ice. As it had begun there so it continued all through Sweden, where I visited the Provinces Smaland and West Gothland. The journey was a continuous repetition of stoppages caused by snow. The named Provinces usually furnish a considerable contingent of the Swedish emigration, and I found also now a good many people preparing for removal to America. To my surprise, I was shown circulars from two agents in Gothenburg, purporting to bo appointed by the Colonial Government, advocating emigration to New Zealand, and w rhat is more, on terms far easier than those which I was empowered to offer. I have already had the honor to hand you one of these circulars, and also an English translation thereof. I doubt that these agents will be successful, even if they can fulfil every promise held out in their widely-spread advertisements and circulars ; but it is at the same time my opinion that for some time it would be utterly useless for anybody else to attempt to work in the same cause, unless one could hold out far greater advantages than what are now offered, an opinion which Air. John Millar and others in Gothenburg confirmed. Under these circumstances, I considered that a further stay would only be loss of time, wherefore I left Gothenburg in steamer for Hull, from which place I arrived here on the Bth instant. The Agent General for New Zealand, I am, &c, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W. B. E. Friberg.

No. 24. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (No. 219.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 19th April, 1872. I have the honor to inclose you a bill of lading for a case shipped per " Schiehallion," for Wellington, addressed to Dr. Hector, and containing some five hundred rooted vines obtained from some of the best vineyards on the Bhine, and selected with special reference to the climate of New Zealand. I have sent out these vines with the view of facilitating the small settlement of vine-growers contemplated by the Hon. Mr. Ormond at the Bua Taniwha ; and I hope shortly to send out some dozen families of vine-dressers from the Bhine, and probably a similar num r from the district between Bordeaux and St. Nazaire. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. W. Gisborne, Wellington, New Zealand.] Agent-General.

No. 25. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretart. (No. 244.) Sir,— Ist May, 1872. I have the honor to inform you that I have arranged with the firm of Messrs. Galbraith, Stringer, and Co., for the despatch of a vessel from Christiania direct to Napier on or about the Ist of June, with Norwegian emigrants. The ship, the " Hodvig," (capable of carrying 350 adults) will, I understand, take out 325. The Provincial Government of Hawke's Bay has requested me to send out, during the current emigration season, 300 Scandinavian families, equivalent in round numbers to at least 1,200 souls, with a view of forming a special settlement at the Bua Taniwha, or in the Seventy-Mile Bush. Should I succeed in inducing Messrs. Galbraith, Stringer, and Co. to lay on two other vessels direct, I feel confident of being able to send out the number applied for ; but if I am obliged to bring them up to and finally embark them at London, the number may fall short of that desired, for the expense of the voyage to London is an important consideration with Norwegian emigrants, and the Emigration Agents, if connected with the shipping, are naturally anxious to send them direct in vessels either owned by themselves or for loading which they obtain a commission, and therefore have not the same interest in procuring emigrants to be embarked at London.