D.—lA

12

In the despatch under reply you refer to my memorandum of 14th February last on the subject of the unequal distribution of sub-agents and advertisements throughout Ireland. I still observe that there is a great preponderance of both in the district you allotted to Mr. Farnell. I have refrained from returning to the subject expecting that as you had appointed Mr. Mason, of Dublin, as your chief Emigration Agent for Ireland this matter would have been rectified. But since that gentleman's appointment by you in December last we have not heard of his proceedings. I had hopes that you would have required of him and forwarded to the Colony quarterly reports similar to those obtained from Messrs. Birch, Seaton, and Farnell, in order that the Government might be kept informed of the benefits accruing to emigration to the Colony through his exertions. I observe in your letter of Bth April last that you enter into statistics to prove that the number of emigrants you have despatched from Ireland is fairly proportioned to the number despatched from England and Scotland. I shall only make this remark on the subject, that considering the enormous number of Irish emigrants that annually leave that country I can hardly be expected to compliment your agents in having induced in a year and a half 900 souls to emigrate to New Zealand from that country, nor do I care to take advantage of pointing out that of these 900 more than one-third were nominated in the Colony, and consequently reached this independent of the exertions of your officers. Your despatch, however, of 16th May, which is more directly under reply on the general question of emigration concludes with the welcome assurance that you are more than ever persuaded of the ultimate success of the great scheme of emigration inaugurated by the Government. It is hardly necessary to add with what anxiety the Colony awaits the realization of the hopes you thus hold out. Or. Matjeice O'Bokke. Immigration Office, Wellington, 2nd August, 1873.

No. 19. Memobandttm No. 16S, for the Agent-Gexebal, London. In reply to your letter of the 15 th May, in which you furnish particulars of the arrangements you had made for the despatch of emigrant vessels during May and June, I can assure you it is a matter of great gratification to the Government to learn that you have arranged for the despatch of five ships in May and seven in June. Your telegram informing the Government that 2,650 souls had sailed in May, June, and July has, in the present great demand for labour, been equally satisfactory. G. Maubice O'Eoeke. Immigration Office, Wellington, 2nd August, 1873.