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No. 4. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the A gent-General. (No. 265.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th September, 1874. I have the honor to call your attention to the great inconvenience and probable loss to the Government caused by the want of specific information from your department relative to the four ships chartered by yourself for the conveyance of emigrants, viz. the "Tweed," " Carisbraok Castle," "Corona," and " Strathnaver." The only papers received by this department have been copies of the charter-parties and of the letters of instructions to the masters. You must bo aware that it is essentially necessary for the proper transaction of the business in connection with these vessels that copies of the manifests and of the instructions to the consignees should have been forwarded ; also list of stores and medical comforts. I fail altogether to understand why the department has been left in such a position as not to be able to check in anyway the returns of the consignees, or the expenditure of the stores during the passage. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson.

No. 5. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-General. (No. 266.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th September, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1303, of 29th June, 1874, in which you acknowledge the receipt of copy of correspondence between the Superintendent of Westland and this department, relative to the want of female domestic labour in that province, and stating that every effort will be made to engage a number of respectable servants. In the second paragraph of your letter you state that, having completed the number of emigrants ordered for Otago and Canterbury, you are precluded from engaging any more female servants for either of those provinces. Upon this subject I may inform you that immediately upon the receipt of your telegram, dated 2nd of June, in which you informed him that the orders of the provinces named would be completed by July, the Hon. Mr. Vogel placed himself in communication with the Superintendents, and in accordance with their recommendations telegraphed to you, under date 7th July, to send 500 a month to each province during the months of August and September. I trust that this telegram reached you in time to despatch the number required in August. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. 11. A. Atkinson.

No. 0. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-General. (No. 267.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th September, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1426, of 10th July, 1874, in which you detail the arrangements in your department for the conduct of nominated emigration, which appear to be satisfactory. I observed with regret that, at the date of your letter, you were contemplating sending emigrants nominated for Canterbury and Otago by way of Wellington; but I trust that before the sailing of the " Star of India" you had received my telegram authorizing you to renew emigration upon a limited scale to the former provinces. I have, &c, The Agent-Genera,! for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson.

No. 7. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-General. (No. 269.) Sir,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th September, 1874. I have the honor to inform you that the Government have appointed Mr. Walter Kennaway, of Christchurch, to be Secretary of your department, at a salary of £800 a year, and have agreed to allow him half salary from the date of his leaving New Zealand until he reports himself to you upon his arrival in London, when his full salary will commence. The appointment is for three years, and if Mr. Kennaway leaves the department at the completion of that period, or if from any cause other than misconduct he leaves it before the end of three years, he is to receive £250 for the expenses of his return to New Zealand, but his salary is to terminate with his connection with the department. Should he remain more than three years ho is not to be entitled to receive any amount as expenses. Mr. Kennaway will most probably reach England in January about the same time as the Hon. Mr. Vogel, who will then arrange with you as to his (Mr. Kennaway's) position in the department, and the specific duties of his office. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A, Atkinson.