D.—6.

6

Enclosure 2 in No. 6. Mr. J. J. Fbeetii to the Immigration Officer, Wellington. Sib, — Wairarapa, Ist July, 1876. I have the honor to report as follows upon matters connected with the Immigration Department in this district for the year ending the 30th June, 1876 : — During the above period there have arrived in the Wairarapa immigrants numbering 397 souls, being equal to 331^ adults. These immigrants have been distributed by me over the district as follows: —Featherston, IG2 souls, or 146 adults; Grey town, 50 souls, or 39 a- adults; Masterton, 185 souls, or 15G adults. The majority of those who were located at Featherston were employed on the railway works, and considerable numbers remain there ; those located at Greytown were employed by the various farmers and landowners near Greytown and in the Lower Valley; while those located at Masterton and neighbourhood have found employment, according to their several abilities, as skilled workmen or farm servants, or have, in the case of foreigners, joined their friends at the Forty-Mile Bush and Scandinavian Camp. With regard to the existing powers of this district for the absorption of immigrants, I am of opinion that a considerable number of good farm servants —men and women—really suitable for the work, and whose expectations have not become too much exalted to enable them to accept employment at fair wages, will readily find employment for some time to come, as this district as a whole is advancing very rapidly, and its resources are being developed every year, and thereby a greater quantity of land is being brought under cultivation and improvement; as a consequence of which there will, I believe, continue to be a fair demand for the services of the class of persons I have mentioned. The demand for female domestic servants has by far exceeded the supply during the whole year. I have received numerous applications from settlers from all parts of the district, who have only ceased to remind me of their wants when they have found that it was impossible for me to obtain the servants they required. I apprehend that the demand for merely ordinary labourers, such as pick and shovel men, &c.,will not, during the ensuing year, be anything like what it has been during the past one, as most of the heavy railway and other contracts are fast advancing to completion as far as the formation is concerned, and those now employed upon such contracts will shortly either have to find employment elsewhere, or content themselves with the ordinary amount of unskilled labour to be found in a district like this. It will scarcely be necessary for me to refer in this report to the unsuitableness of some of the immigrants who have arrived here, as I have already from time to time reported to you fully upon the subject. I may, however, remark that considerable difficulty has been experienced in finding employment for some of them, who would have otherwise been good servants, owing to their inability to speak English. With regard to nominated immigration, I am unable to give a more favourable report than that made by me last year. As a rule, the old settlers in the district do not appear to avail themselves very largely of the advantages of the system. Only a few nominations have been made during the year, and the majority of these have been received from recently arrived immigrants, anxious to procure passages for some of their friends whom they have left at home. A desire has been evinced on the part of some of the immigrants to acquire small blocks of land for cultivation and improvement upon some Bystem of deferred payments, coupled with assistance from the Government, to enable them to procure a permanent home for themselves in the district. I feel that if some system could be introduced upon such a footing as to insure to these people a home for themselves and families, upon such terms as would enable them, by the exercise of prudence, economy, and industry, to make it a freehold in a few years, great advantages would arise therefrom ; as the people would be permanently located upon the land, thereby carrying out what I understand to be the object of the Government in bringing them here. It would however be presumption in me to do more than call your attention to the expressed desire of these people. Having done this, I leave the carrying out of the matter to wiser heads than mine. As I understand there will not in all probability be many more immigrants sent to this district for some time to come, I do not feel it necessary to say more with regard to the various depots in the district than that, if they are used as such until the end of next financial year, small sums of money may be required to keep them in habitable repair, and the furniture and utensils in fair order. This expenditure will not, in my opinion, exceed £10 for the whole year. The present complicated and elaborate system of keeping the ration accounts, and the numerous returns which have to be prepared in consequence, appear to me to be utterly unsuited to a district like this. Here, the order is issued to the contractor, the rations are forthwith supplied to the itnmigrauts, and that is the end of the matter. It is impossible for any stores to remain on hand where the rations are not received in bulk by a Depot-master; consequently there is nothing to account for. I would therefore suggest that the keeping of such accouuts in country districts should in future be dispensed with, and that the certificate from the officer in charge of the department, attached to the contractor's voucher, should be considered sufficient guarantee for the accuracy of the accouuts. Permit me, before closing my report, to testify to the valuable assistance I have received from the constables in this district, in carrying on the business of my department. I have, &c, Joseph J. Freeth, The Immigration Officer, Wellington. Sub-Immigration Officer.

No. 7. Mr. A. Mun-ro to the Immigration Offices, Wellington. Sir, — Masterton, 21st July, 1876. In submitting my annual report of the progress of the Scandinavian. Settlements in the