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No. 19. His Honor the Superintendent of Wellington to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 14th December, 1872. In reference to your letter of the 27th inst., acceding to a request made by me in a letter of the 21st ult., I have on further consideration thought it would be more desirable not to press for payment of the thousand acres therein referred to. I find that the want of totara is likely to be an impediment to the progress of certain public works which the Provincial Government are about to contract for; and I therefore propose that the reserves of totara should be made, and the Colonial Government and the Provincial Government should both have a right to cut the timber for employment on public works. The Provincial Government ask no payment for the benefit on the part of the Colonial Government, and will only ask for payment for the land after the timber shall have been used, from any purchaser or purchasers to whom it may ultimately be sold. I have, &c, AVilliam Fitzherbert, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, AVellington. . Superintendent.

No. 20. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to His Honor the Superintendent of Wellington. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 12th December, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge tho receipt of your letter of the 14th December, 1872, and in reply to inform your Honor that the Government assent with pleasure to the proposals of the Provincial Government contained therein, relative to cutting totara timber in the Manawatu District, and payment for 1,000 acres of land at 15s. per acre. I have, &c, G. M. Waterhouse, His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. (for Hon. Colonial Secretary).

No. 21. Mr. A. F. Halcombe to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, 21st December, 1872. I have the honor to forward, for the information of the Government, the following message received to-day, by Java Cable, from the Hon. Colonel Feilding, and dated 7th December instant, by which I am informed that the Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation accepted the conditions of the modified contract proposed in your communication of 23rd November last. I gather also from the latter part of the telegram that the Corporation will now carry on its colonizing operations with vigour, so soon as the tramway to Foxton shall have been open, until which time I may observe the successful settlement of the land of the Corporation is impossible. I have, &c, A. F. Halcombe, Agent, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation. Enclosure in No. 21. Copy of Telegram received 21st December, 1872, from tho Hon. Colonel Feilding. London, 7th December, 1872. —Corporation accepts conditions November telegram. Emigrants delayed awaiting Government announcement Foxton tramway open. —Feilding. To Halcombe, Wellington, N.Z. The "November telegram" referred to was as follows:— " Wellington, New Zealand, 23rd November, 1872.—Time first immigrants' arrival extended to December. Bate interest reduced to 5. Provincial Government undertakes to recommend to Council grant for by-roads equivalent to Corporation expenditure up to £2,000 annually for five years. Corporation required to liquidate £5,000 bonds by Ist February next. Land to be Crown granted only up to value of half first payments up to £15,000. No hope better terms. Telegraph acceptance. — Halcombe. "To Feilding, Guards' Club, Pall Mall, London."

No. 22. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to His Honor the Superintendent of Wellington. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, AVellington, 27th December, 1872. Adverting to my letter No. 362, of the 23rd November last, relative to the modifications proposed in the terms of the contract with the Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation, I have the honor to transmit for your information the accompanying copy of a letter from Mr. Halcombe, the Agent for that Corporation, enclosing the copy of a telegram received from the Hon. Colonel Feilding, stating that the Corporation accept the proposed modifications. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. John Hall.