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Emigration to this Colony from Ireland continues altogether so slack, although thousands of most desirable emigrants annually leave that country for America and the North American Colonies, that I am inclined to think that some person is required as the officer of the central agency who would devote his whole time to its duties, and be in constant and personal communication with the classes of people whom it is desirable to induce to emigrate ; and I consider it absolutely necessary that such an officer should have a knowledge of New Zealand, and be able to speak from .personal experience of the inducements held out, facilities of settlement, and character of employment in tho various Provinces and districts. Under this view of the question, and considering that you appear to have failed in connecting any one possessing these qualifications with your department, I shall be glad to hear your opinion as to my sending home a suitable person to be at your disposal for this purpose. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 37. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent- General. (No. 35.) Sib, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 12th February, 1874. Ecferring to Mr. O'Eorko's Memorandum No. 204, of 29th September last, requesting that you would forward copies of your instructions to your local agents relative to emigrants nominated in the Colony, I have to request that in addition to forwarding these you will inform me of the character of your arrangements generally at the head office, for the efficient carrying out of this very important branch of emigration. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.

No. 38. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Genebal. (No. 37.) SiE, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of November 13th last, No. 768, enclosing, with other printed papers, the " Second Schedule of Conditions of Contract." In remarking upon the terms of these conditions of contract, I shall presume that the instructions contained in my letters of October 23rd and 25th, and November 24th and 25th, 1873, have been carried out: I shall therefore confine myself to such other modifications and alterations of the form you enclose as suggest themselves to me upon careful consideration of the information which the experience of the officers of my department has placed at my disposal, supplemented, as it has been, by the evidence of the immigrants themselves, to whom at every port I have given the opportunity of voluntarily expressing their opinions to the Immigration Officers with regard to the arrangements for their embarkation and for their comfort during the voyage. The ordinary dietary scale for adults, as set forth"in the conditions of contract enclosed in your letter of the 19th March, 1873, No. 150, is much more liberal in many essentials than the scale of the New Zealand Shipping Company's contract, which, I observe, you have adopted. I desire now that you will in any future contracts resume the more liberal scale referred to, and further, will cause the substitution of preserved meat for salt beef upon one of the days upon which that article is tabled for issue. You will also reduce the amount of biscuit to be issued, making up the difference by an extra allowance of flour or soft bread. With regard to the dietary for children, the quantity of dessicated milk and preserved soup "shipped should be in proportion to the number of children in each ship, instead of to the number of statute adults ; and care should be taken that in the event of condensed egg not being obtainable, as I understand is sometimes the case, some better substitute than eggs packed in .salt, which generally have been found to be broken and imperfectly preserved, should be put on board. It has been pointed out to me by many surgeon superintendents that a proper quantity of charcoal should be placed on board each ship. In cases where fever has broken out, the quantity shipped has been found entirely insufficient, and in some instances none has been shipped at all. A large quantity of sand, for cleansing and drying purposes, should also be supplied. In Schedule C of the charter-party it is expressed that the surgeon superintendent should possess certain surgical and midwifery instruments which are noted therein. It has been represented to me, by competent authority, that these instruments are absolutely necessary in ships carrying a large number of women and children. I have therefore to request that you ascertain that all surgeons are provided with these instruments before embarkation. While considering the above as positive instructions, 1 would point out to you that with the large business at your command, and the great competition which, I am aware, exists for obtaining it, you have it in your power to make very favourable conditions in your contracts for the health and comfort of our emigrants, and I have every confidence that you will do so. Ido not, therefore, deem it necessary to enter further into details connected with the form of charter-party. You have already been advised of the desire of the Government that all ships sailing from the port of London should embark their emigrants at Plymouth : thus avoiding the most trying part of the whole passage, and the various risks to health entailed by a detention of the emigrants in London. I trust, therefore, that in all future contracts you will be able to insist upon this as a condition. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Julius Vogel.