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nominations of long standing. In the case of E. D , the nominator will be communicated with, and you will be further advised. With regard to the general question, it is certainly desirable that some limit should be placed upon the time during which nominations may be acted on, and your suggestion that all nominations made prior to the 30th June, 1876, should be considered cancelled, and that unless they are renewed the persons concerned will be dealt with as ordinary applicants to your office, is approved. It is further considered expedient that a similar rule should be established for the future, and should be made applicable to all nominations which are not acted on within eighteen months from the receipt of the lists by you. Immigration Officers will be instructed to inform nominators of this regulation. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. T, Eisher.

No. 6. The Hon. the Ministee for Immigeation to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, N.Z., 2nd February, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1132, of Ist December, embodying report of the proceedings of your department for the month of November last. I observe that the sailing of the vessels therein enumerated brings to a close the emigration season for the year, and that certain temporary services in your department have been consequently dispensed with. As regards future operations, I had hoped by this mail to have supplied you with full particulars as to the probable number and quality of immigrants required during the current year. So soon as I am furnished with returns ordered to be sent in by the respective Immigration Officers throughout the colony, I shall be able to do so. In tho meantime I would state that we can scarcely have too many people, provided they are of the right stamp —agricultural, able-bodied labourers, dairy women, and domestic servants : tho power of the colony to absorb such with advantage may be said to be unlimited. Another class to whom the colony presents great advantages are practical farmers, with small or large means. The construction of railways now in progress, and in contemplation, opens up for agricultural settlement an extensive territory, which has hitherto been unavailable, and upon which thousands of industrious families may acquire independence, and surround themselves with comfort. I venture to say that New Zealand never presented greater attractions to genuine colonists than at the present time. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. Macandeew.

No. 7. The Hon. the Minister for Immigeation to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic,— Immigration Office, Wellington, N.Z., 18th March, 1878. I have the honor to call your attention to the fact that, since the Otago Agency has been placed under your department, tho immigrants that have arrived in Otago have not been equal to those formerly sent out. I need not inform you that tho Scotch Agency was kept up mainly to induce Scotch farmers, and others engaged in agricultural pursuits in Scotland, to emigrate to New Zealand. From returns forwarded to me it appears that, of the immigrants that have arrived in Otago during the past twelve months, the majority have not been Scotch people at all, and of farming many of them have been ignorant. So far as nationality is concerned that is of little moment; but it is unadvisable to forward to the colony persons only acquainted with life in large cities. A vigorous effort should bo made to procure small farmers and agricultural labourers from the agricultural districts of Scotland. If these cannot be procured, keeping up a separate Scotch Agency seems to be of no use, and only involves unnecessary expense to the colony. I am of opinion, however, that, if proper efforts are made by the Scotch Agency, the class to which I have alluded may be obtained. In thus specially directing your attention to the unfavourable contrast which the late emigration from Scotland to Otago presents as compared with what it used to be, and in urging a more careful selection for the future, it must be distinctly understood that I am not desirous that your efforts should be in any way relaxed in seeking to obtain as many as posible of the most suitable class of emigrants from other parts of the United Kingdom. I shall conclude by repeating what I have said in a previous letter —namely, that you can scarcely send too many people to New Zealand, provided they arrive at the proper season of the year, are of good character, able-bodied, and willing to work. The colony never held out more favourable inducements to large and small farmers, agricultural labourers, dairy women, and domestic female servants, and people of this class, than it now does ; and the gradual extension of the railway by steam will bring land within reach of profitable occupation to an extent which has not hitherto been generally realized. I have, &c., The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. Macandeew.