27

D.—2

4 In reply, I have to state that the spaces taken off for berthing people on board this ship were as follow :— Statute adults. On lower deck forward, reckoning 18 feet to each statute adult, space equal to ... 128 On lower deck aft, reckoning 18 feet to each statute adult, space equal to ... 202 On upper passenger deck, reckoning 15 feet to each statute adult, space equal t0... 401 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 731 There were never more than Gl5 statute adults on board this ship. I berthed the people myself. There were no complaints to me of over crowding when the ship returned to Plymouth. The ship was, in my opinion, exceedingly well ventilated ; and no part of the ship could, in my opinion, be called dark. Edwd. A. Smith, E.N., 18th September, 1874. Despatching Officer. No. 52. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigeatiox.' (No. 162 G.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sih, — 23rd September, 1875. Referring to Mr. Vogel's letter of the 12th June (No. 160), I have the honor to inform you that I have conveyed to the British Ladies' Female Emigrant Society the thanks of the Government as directed therein, with a subscription of one hundred guineas, and an intimation that an annual subscription of the same amount will be continued so long as emigration proceeds on its present scale. Should the Plymouth and Stonehouse Auxiliary Branch of the Society be re-organized, I shall give directions that its members and ageuts shall have free access to the depot, and I have advised the London Committee accordingly. I have, &c, I. E. Feathebston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

Statute adults.

No. 53. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Ministeb for Immigeation. (No. IGG4.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, "Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 2nd October, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Vogel's letter of the 7th July (No. 200), in which ho forwards copy of a resolution on the subject of free emigration passed during the last session of the Provincial Council of Otago, and in which he states that the opinion of the Council is in exact accordance with what he has over and over again endeavoured to impress upon me, i.e., the necessity of the greatest possible stringency in the selection of emigrants. 2. The opinion of the Council and of the Government is also on this point in complete concurrence with my sense of my duty to the Colony, and with the settled practice of this office. The greatest possible stringency is always exercised in the selection of emigrants ; but the word "possible" is a word which has limits, and it is not humanly possible, considering the urgent instructions which I receive from the Government, to despatch emigrants by thousands for month after month together— considering the class from which free emigrants are drafted, which is not a very elevated or educated class —considering the facility with, which certificates to character of the kind required are too often given, and sometimes even counterfeited, though, I believe, almost all such cases are detected here, it is not, I say, possible to prevent a certain proportion of unfit or unworthy subjects from being, in spite of all my precautions, sent to the Colony. 3. At the present moment, when under the impression conveyed by recent correspondence, and especially by Mr. Vogel's telegram, quoted in the margin,* that emigration would be considerably contracted, I was about to reduce my staff in that department of this office. I received your telegram of the 18th instant, instructing me to send within the next six months 3,000 emigrants to Auckland and 1.800 to Wellington ; within the next five months, 2,350 to Canterbury; within the next three months, 3,G00 to Otago and 600 to Napier, besides executing all orders previously sent. Of this total number of 8,650, in addition to previous orders, you direct not less than 2,700 to bo despatched in the course of the present month of October (in which I had already provided for the despatch of 3,500), stipulating that selection and approval be in all cases most careful. It is as careful as it can possibly be; but the difficulty in dealing with such masses of people, drafted from all parts of the United Kingdom within a few weeks, and by means of a limited staff, which it is not possible suddenly to increase and discipline to the degree of vigilance desired by the Government, I assure you is not inconsiderable. 4. I am however greatly gratified to find that the reports of the Immigration Commissioners of the Colony fully sustain my statement that the emigrants despatched by me are well adapted to the requirements of the Government. I have before me the Parliamentary Paper D 2, which contains the letters addressed to me, transmitting reports upon those emigrant ships despatched by me which had arrived in the colony between the months of September, 1873, and June, 1874. The first letter in the series is a memorandum from the Hon. Mr. O'Rorke, saying that I " will be pleased to learn * Vide D. 1, 1874, p. 41.