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Enclosure in No. 49. His Honor the Superintendent, Westland, to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir,— Hokitika, 22nd February, 1875. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, noted in the margin, forwarding a copy of a letter sent to the Agent-General upon the subject of the Jackson's Bay Special Settlement, and expressing the hope that it may be satisfactory to me. Immediately on its receipt I telegraphed drawing your attention to the rate at which I had proposed tho families from Home should be introduced, seeing that, from your letter, it was probable that the full number would be sent in two vessels instead of only twenty-five families monthly ; and I trust you will be pleased to alter your instructions in this particular. I may say that upon this point I feel that special care is necessary, as the difficulties of establishing a population in bush and entirely new country are so great, that if too large a number are introduced at one time, great extra expense is certain to be entailed on the Government through having to promote additional accommodation, and having to keep the immigrants until placed on their land. With this exception, I may say that the letter is in accordance with my wishes, and I am obliged to you for again drawing the attention of the Agent-General to the great want of female immigrants here. I have, &c, James A. Bonar, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 50. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-General. (No. 68.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th March, 1875. I have the honor to forward copy of a letter from the Superintendent of Westland covering a resolution passed by the Provincial Council upon the 23rd February ultimo, as to the desirability of sending 100 female immigrants to the province at as early a date as possible. I shall be glad if you are able to give effect to the wishes of his Honor in this respect. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson.

Enclosure in No. 50. His Honor the Superintendent, Westland, to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir,— Hokitika, 24th February, 1875. I have the honor to forward herewith a copy of a resolution passed by the Provincial Council requesting me to urge upon the General Government the desirability of sending 100 female immigrants to Westland as soon as possible. As I have already pointed out to you, on more than one occasion, the great want of female immigrants in the province, it will be unnecessary for me to say any more on the subject. I have, &c, James A. Bonar, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Superintendent. Extract from Proceedings of the Provincial Council. Tuesday, 23rd February, 1875. Ordered, on tho motion of Mr. Houlahan—" That His Honor the Superintendent be respectfully requested to urge upon the General Government the desirability of sending 100 female immigrants to the Province of AVestland at as early a date as possible."

No. 51. The Hon. H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-General. (No. 74.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 13th March, 1875. I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Coster, the Chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Company, has handed me officially a copy of a letter addressed by him to you, dated London, the 7th April, 1874, in which he remarks at length upon the subject of the alleged combination between his company and other shipping firms connected with the colony, and the various offers made by him with the view of coming to some reasonable arrangement with you for the conveyance of our emigrants. I must confess my surprise that you did not forward this communication to the Government, with your reasons for not entertaining the proposals of the company. Upon these points I shall be glad of an explanation. I have, Sec, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson. 4—D. 1.