69

D.—2

5. I enclose for your information a copy of my agreement with Messrs. Sloman and Loesener for the carrying out of the transferred Queensland contract now about to come into operation, and of my letter appointing Mr. Kirchner as my principal agent on the Continent to superintend the fulfilling of that contract, and of the one with Messrs. Kuorr, pending the conclusion of the contract which it is agreed shall be afterwards entered into for the 4,000 above specified. I have, &c, I. E. Featheeston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 108. The A&ent-Geneeal to Mr. Kiechnee. Sic, — 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., I offer you herewith the agency for New Zealand to procure and superintend the shipment of emigrants from the Continent to that colony. I am willing to grant you the same terms that were allowed you while you acted for Queensland, viz., a fixed salary of £400 per annum, with travelling expenses and refundment of all other outlays, such as agents' commission, advertising, office charges, &c. The agreement to date from the Ist April proximo, and to remain in force until the completion of my two contracts with Messrs. Louis Knorr and Co., or their successor, for the conveyance of respectively 2,000 and 1,615 emigrants. After the expiration of the above two agreements I shall expect you to superintend the selection and shipment of 4,000 emigrants, for the conveyance of whom you will contract with Messrs. E. M. Sloman and Co., of Hamburg; your agency to be fixed at £1 per adult, which amount is to include n.ll other charges. I have, &c, I. E. Featiieeston, ¥m. Kirchner, Esq., Darmstadt. Agent-General.

Enclosure 2 in No. 108. Aeticles of Agbeement made this fourteenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and seventyfour, between Her Majesty the Queen for and on behalf of the Colony of New Zealand, of the first part, Isaac Eael Featiieeston, of No. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, the Agent-General in England for the Government of the said Colony of New Zealand as Agent for and on behalf of the said Government, of the second part; and Bobeet Miles Sloman and Fbedeeick Leopold Loeseneb, trading under the style or firm of and hereinafter designated "the said Eobert Miles Sloman and C 0.," both of the City of Hamburg, Shipowners, of the third part; and whereby it is agreed between the said parties hereto as follows, viz., — 1. The said Eobert Miles Sloman and Frederick Leopold Loosener do hereby jointly and severally agree with Her Majesty the Queen, on behalf of the said colony, and with the said Isaac Earl Featherston, on behalf of the said Government, to convey within eighteen months from the date hereof, from the port of Hamburg to any safe port or ports in the said colony to be selected by the said Government, or by the said Agent-General, or William Kirchner, or such other agent as may be lawfully appointed by them for the purpose, any number of statute adults (that is to say, persons above the age of twelve years), or any two persons between the age of one year and twelve years, the number of such adults not to exceed in the whole one thousand six hundred and fifteen, and any number of children under one year old, relations of the said statute adults (such children under one year old to be conveyed by the said Eobert Miles Sloman and Co. with a free passage), at such times from and after the date of these presents as shall be appointed by the said William Kirchner, the Agent for the said Government on the Continent for the time being: Provided always that not less than five hundred adults shall be conveyed in any one year. 2. Each vessel used for the conveyance of such emigrants shall be a first-class fast-sailing vessel, fitted with an efficient condenser, to be worked at the expense entirely of the said Eobert Miles Sloman and Co., and (subject to the terms of the proviso contained in the last clause) the number of persons to be conveyed in each vessel and the date of sailing shall be respectively approved and appointed by the said William Kirchner, or other the agent of the said Government on the Continent for the time being, it being however understood that no less a number than two hundred and fifty of the said statute adults, nor any larger number than the vessel provided by Messrs. Eobert Miles Sloman and Co., can properly carry, shall be shipped at any one date to any separate port, and that the day of sailing shall be named by the said William Kirchner, or other the agent of the said Government on the Continent for the time being, at least two months in advance, the said Eobert Miles Sloman and Co. having the privilege of fixing the exact date within a period of twenty days before or after the time appointed. 3. The space allowed to each statute adult before defined shall be fifteen superficial English measurement. The unmarried emigrants of the one sex shall be separated from those of the other sex by proper bulkheads and the hospitals; the supply of the distilling apparatus, life-boats, fireengines, and the fittings and general arrangements of the several ships in which the emigrants shall be conveyed, shall in all respects be in conformity with the Acts of the British Parliament relating to the conveyance of passengers or emigrants, and shall be such as shall be approved of in writing by the said William Kirchner or other the agent of the said Government on the Continent for the time being. In all other respects the laws and customs of the States of the German Empire shall be substituted for the English laws and customs, so far as may be deemed expedient by the Commissioners of the German Empire for the inspection of passenger ships, Captain Weickman, of the Imperial German Navy, and the said William Kirchner, or other the agent of the said Government on the Continent for the time being.