D.—l

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but in a matter of so much importance to the health of the emigrants, I am satisfied that you will be met in a liberal spirit by the three shipping firms who are now under contract w 7ith the New Zealand Government. Should, however, any difficulty arise, you will take any steps you may find necessary to carry out my instructions. The adoption of the new scales will probably entail additional expense, which I have had carefully calculated, so far as the necessary information was obtainable, will amount to about Is. 6d. per adult per week. The very large proportion of children amongst the emigrants renders some more special care necessary for them than can be afforded by the surgeon-superintendent and their parents. You will therefore endeavour to secure the services of a children's matron or nurse for each ship, whose duty should be to supervise specially the arrangements for cooking and serving the children's food, and in the case of the elder ones, should arrange, if possible, a separate mess. I do not make this question of the separate mess an absolute instruction, because I am aware under some circumstances it might not be desirable or practicable ; but where the captain and surgeon-superintendent work together cordially, I think without difficulty it might be arranged, and I have no doubt of its utility in securing proper and regular food to the children ; but in all cases where this separate mess is established, instructions must be given that the milk and allowance of special food for children under twelve months be issued to the mother. I have, See., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson. Schedules. Schedule A. —Adult weekly scale: Beef, eight ounces on Monday and Thursday; pork, eight ounces on Tuesday and Saturday; preserved meat, eight ounces on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday ; suet, two ounces on Sunday and Saturday; butter, three ounces on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday ; biscuit, four ounces every day ; flour, twenty ounces on Sunday and twelve ounces all other days ; rice or oatmeal, four ounces every day ; peas, one quarter pint on Tuesday and Friday; fresh potatoes, one pound on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday; preserved potatoes, one quarter pound on same days; carrots, four ounces on Monday and Thursday ; onions, four ounces on Sunday and Wednesday; raisins, four ounces on Sunday; tea, one half-ounce on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday; coffee, one half-ounce on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday ; sugar, four ounces on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; molasses, four ounces on Monday .and Friday; water, three quarts every day. In substitution of present note with respect to the issue of flour upon Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the following to be inserted, viz.,—Upon Sunday, eight ounces of flour per adult shall be issued to the emigrants for the purpose of making puddings, and the remaining twelve ounces, and the whole of the allowance upon other days, shall be issued to the baker, and be made by him into bread. Schedule B. —Children up to twelve years of age are to receive preserved meat instead of salt meat every day ; and in addition to the articles to which they are entitled by the above written scale, one pint of preserved milk and three pints of water daily; and every alternate day, eight ounces of oatmeal and four ounces preserved soup ; and eight ounces flour, four ounces rice, and ten ounces sugar weekly. An additional quart of water to be issued daily for the use of each person sick in the hospital, if the surgeon shall so order. Schedule C. —Twenty half-pound packets oatmeal grits, thirty-five pounds West India arrowroot, thirty pounds Scotch barley, twenty-five pounds sago, fifty pounds best preserved meat soup, fifty pounds preserved beef tea, fifty pounds preserved broth, fifty tins desiccated milk, twenty pounds preserved chicken broth in one quarter-pound tins, forty pounds preserved boiled mutton and beef in onepound and half-pound tins (half and half), eighteen* bottles sherry, one gallon gin, two gallons methylated spirits of wine, thirty-six quart bottles port wine, five gallons brandy, five gallons vinegar, twenty-four dozen imperial pints approved stout and twelve dozen quarts, malt and hops or other approved materials for leavening bread, two bushels quick lime in cask, three and a half hundredweight best yellow soap, four hundred pounds loaf sugar, ten bushels sand, and fifty pounds of flour.

No. 26. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-General. (No. 325.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 16th November. 1874. I have the honor to transmit herewith, for your information, copy of a letter from Mr. A. Bradley, relative to emigration from the North of Ireland. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson.

Enclosure in No. 26. Mr. A. Bradley to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir,— Northern Wairoa, 20th October, 1874. I intended addressing the following remarks to Mr. Vogel, but being on the eve of his departure for England, I feel confident they will obtain the same attention from you. I am surprised that in the pursuit of fitting persons as emigrants, the North of Ireland has been entirely overlooked. The counties of Antrim, Down, and Armagh contain a class of small farmers