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D.—2.

No. 37. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 1588.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sic, — 23rd September, 1874. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 189, dated 2nd July, 1574, forwarding copy of a letter from Messrs. J. Duthie and Co., of Wanganui, also, copy of a letter from Mr. John Bryce, the Member for the district in the General Assembly, upon the subject of sending emigrants in a vessel which it is proposed to lay on in London for Wanganui direct. And I observe that you have informed Mr. Bryce that instructions would be issued to me to the effect that, if I should approve of the vessel when chartered, I am to send by her as many emigrants as I am able to procure and consider desirable. I have not yet received any communication from Messrs. Brook, Dove, and Co., who are stated to be acting as agents for Messrs. Duthie, and I am therefore unable at present to give you any information on the subject. I have, &c, I. E. Featiieeston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General

No. 38. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 1592.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 23rd September, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 111, dated May, 1574, forwarding the undermentioned documents relating to the ship " Eakaia," which vessel arrived at Lyttelton on 25th April. 1. Letter of his Honor the Superintendent of Canterbury, covering report of Immigration Commissioners. 2. Epitome of surgeon-superintendent's journal, with minute of his Honor the Superintendent thereupon. 3. Certified list of births and deaths during the passage. The letter of the surgeon-superintendent addressed to the Immigration Commissioners, to which the Superintendent specially refers, shall receive careful attention. I have, &c., I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 39. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Ministee for Immigbation. (No. 1595.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 23rd September, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters No. 170, dated 17th Juno, and No. 194, dated 4th July, 1874, the former forwarding a copy of the Immigration Commissioners' report upon the ship " Janet Court," which arrived at Port Chalmers from the Clyde on the 29th May last. I am glad to learn that the Commissioners were pleased with the condition of the vessel and with the general arrangements on board. With reference to the application of the surgeon of the vessel for head money, and the correspondence on the subject —copy of which accompanied your letter—l beg to state that the arrangement made with Dr. Purvis was in pursuance of the contract entered into between Mr. Auld and Messrs. Patrick Henderson and Co. Under this contract no gratuity or head money is, as I understand, promised to the surgeon. It remains, therefore, for the Government to determine whether any, and, if so, what sura shall be paid to Dr. Purvis in addition to the amount which he has received from the contractors. I have, &c, I. E. Featheeston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 40. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Ministee for Immigeation. (No. 159 G.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, 'Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 23rd September, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. IG7, dated 15th June, 1874, on the general subject of emigration. 2. With reference to the action of the various Agricultural Unions, I am glad to report that I continue to receive applications from considerable numbers of labourers belonging to these Unions. A party of about 200 have arranged to proceed in the " Crusader," for Canterbury, on the 24th instant, under the leadership of a man named Allington, who receives an enclosed cabin for himself and family. Smaller parties have sailed in the "Pleiades" and " Geraldine Paget," also for Canterbury. The " Berar," for Wellington, will take about 100 ; and a larger number will proceed in a vessel in October (destination not yet determined), in charge of a leader to be named by the Leamington Union. 3. I take due note of your remarks respecting the action of the shipping firms who were recently in combination with the object of raising the rate of passage money, and in reference to the oilers