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No. 5. (No. 462.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— Ist October, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Memorandum No. 70, of 7th June. I am glad to learn that the advices in my letters acknowledged in your Memorandum were satisfactory to the Government. You remark, with regard to the projected despatch of two vessels for Napier, that " Wherever possible, at least a fortnight's interval should be allowed to elapse between the dates of departure for any one port." I find, on reference to the ships' books of the vessels alluded to, that the interval between the sailings was fifteen days. The"Hovding" left Christiania on the 31st May, and the " Ballarat " sailed from Gravesend on the 15th June. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 6. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (No. 460.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib ,— 2nd October, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Memorandum No. 63-72, of sth June, covering copy of a letter from Messrs. Cousins and Atkins, in which those gentlemen report that a moderate demand exists for mechanics suitable for some of the branches of coach-building. I have no doubt that I shall be able, from time to time, to send as many workmen of the occupations named as will be likely to find remunerative employment. I have, &c, I. E. Featheeston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 7. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. (No. 461.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 3rd October, 1872. In the Memorandum of the Hon. the Eesident Minister (No. 65-72), dated sth June, you inform me that " the question of gratuities to ships' officers has again been taken into consideration, and it has been decided to adopt those hitherto in force in Canterbury, &c." Mr. Ottywcll states that it has always been the practice of the Canterbury Government to pay to the captain of each ship in which emigrants have been carried a gratuity of £25 —not £15, as mentioned in the Memorandum under acknowledgment. After full consideration of all the circumstances, I have decided, subject to the approval of the Government, to promise the smaller sum, viz. £15, in all cases in which the total number of Government emigrants carried does not exceed 100 statute adults ; the larger gratuity, viz. £25, to be paid for each complement exceeding 100 statute adults. The other gratuities referred to will be at the rates sanctioned by the Government, viz., to chief officers, £10 each; the officers who serve out the provisions, £5 each. The payment of the gratuity is, in every instance, dependent upon the certificate of the Inspecting Officers that the duties of the officers to whom it is to be paid have been satisfactorily performed. I have, &c, I. E. Feathebston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 8. The Agent- General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretabt. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib— 4th October, 1872. I have the honor to enclose, for your information, the following papers connected with the emigration department of this office:— 1. List of New Zealand Emigration Agents appointed in Great Britain and Ireland. 2. List of newspapers in which the New Zealand emigration advertisements appear. 3. Two books of emigration papers. A more detailed list of Agents, indicating their position and occupations, will be forwarded to you as soon as the necessary information is collected and collated. I have, <fee, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.