D.—6.

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

IMMIGRATION. (GENERAL REPORTS OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

. No. 1. The Immigeation Officer, Auckland, to the Under Secretary for Immigeation. Sir, — Immigration Office, Auckland, 14th July, 1877. I have the honor to report, for the information of the Hon. the Minister for Immigration, that four vessels have arrived in Auckland with Government immigrants during the year ending 30th June, 1877, with 1,005 souls, equal to 870 statute adults. I attach a list of the ships and number of passengers, marked A. The demand for labour has decreased during the last year, except for first-class men of certain trades. This is to be partially accounted for by many of the gold-digging population having been obliged to seek other employment in consequence of the gold fields not holding out sufficient inducements for so large a number as have generally found employment there ; also from the fact that large areas of country yielding kauri gum (where numbers of men found precarious but at the same time remunerative employment) having been leased by capitalists, they are now prevented digging, and have to turn their attention to other pursuits. On the other hand, there is a very large extent of swamp land, about 100,000 acres, lately purchased, which will require draining, and when commenced should employ a great number of labourers. The public works in the province do not absorb many of the new arrivals. As a rule, contractors who are compelled by competition to make low tenders to secure contracts find that the new comers are very inferior workmen, and have to be constantly overlooked, which does not pay. A short time since there was no employment for journeymen shoemakers, but lately one of the wholesale tradesmen had to send to Melbourne for workmen, and the same thing has lately occurred with carpenters and masons. When the trades become very slack the journeymen go away South or to neighbouring colonies. The nominated system has proved much more beneficial than the assisted; the latter class of immigrants has generally been worthless, and very few remained in this province. The land claims of immigrants who have paid their passages, and are at present registered, amount to £7,070; those for the last year, £1,890. A number of them are anxiously waiting for the Waßte Lands Department to advertise the blocks of land which will be open for selection. The immigrants' cottages which were under my charge have nearly all been disposed of by the Hon. Mr. Whitaker to the Board of Education and other local bodies. I attach a list of them, marked B, showing how they have been disposed of. I also attach a scale of wages, marked C, with a remark opposite any of the trades or callings particularly required.. The Quarantine Station is in a good state of repair, and, since the erection of the extra watertanks, there is a sufficient supply of good water for the number of persons the buildings are capable of accommodating. I have, &c, Edwabd L. Green, The Under Secretary for Immigration, Wellington. Immigration Officer.

Enclosure A in No. 1. LIST OF IMMIGRATION arrived during Year ending 30th June, 1877.

Ships. Adults. Children. fants. Souls. Statute Adults. M. I R M. F. Sebington )rari... essie Osborne )xford 104 126 99 108 90 84 78 73 24 32 25 26 35 26 21 27 .15 10 7 7 258 278 230 239 223* 239 200 207* Total 437 325 107 109 39 1,005 I 870 Edwar: L. G: Immit ;EEN, ration Officer.