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desirous that your request should be, if possible, complied with, on the express understanding, however that tho local authorities shall, in case of need, find employment for those, if any, who may be unable to find it otherwise. I w rould point out the very grave responsibility which compliance w rith your request implies, responsibility which, with the most sanguine belief in the labour-absorbing capacity of Southland, I confess I should shrink from incurring, unless there is the absolute assurance that employment will be found for the immigrants at fair wages, without Government aid, the district taking its chance of the quality of the labour which may be introduced. J. Macandrew.
Enclosure 4 in No. 23. The Mayor of Invercargill to the Hon. the Minister for Immageation. (Telegram.) Invercargill, 26th June, 1878. Youb telegram received. There cannot be any doubt of district to absorb labour, especially agricultural labourers and ploughmen. Would recommend that 100 arrive September, 300 November, 300 December, 300 January. Brydon, New Zealand Land Company, and Mcintosh, Otatu, were amongst the most prominent supporters at the meeting. Last year the Corporation had large contracts, and fewer tenderers than in any year. County Council had repeatedly to re-tender their contracts. Farmers last year complained sadly for men. Great inclination of large landowners to cut up estates into small farms. Municipal Council in past years has always provided work at ss. a day for all comers for a fortnight each. Trust you will therefore comply with request of meeting. Joseph Hatch, Mayor.
No. 24. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th July, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 21st May, in reply to mine of 18th March, on the subject of emigration from Scotland. You state that " you gather from my letter that the emigrants from Ireland have not shown themselves equal to the emigrants from Scotland." If you will refer to my letter you will find that it does not contain one single word which can possibly bear the interpretation put on it. No doubt there are good and bad emigrants, both Irish and Scotch. My opinion is that the one is as good as the other if carefully selected. The purport of my letter was simply to show the inexpediency of maintaining an expensive Agency in Scotland unless it is to be the means of sending out Scotch people, and those not from the large towns but from the agricultural districts. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. Macandrew.
No. 25. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th July, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 23rd May, relative to the salaries of the officers in your department, and, in reply, to say the Government does not feel justified in paying the income-tax charged by the Imperial Government on the said salaries. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. Macandeew.
No. 26. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 12th July, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 21st May, in which you recommend the setting aside and surveying of blocks of land which might be disposed of in England as a means of attracting to New Zealand emigrants of the class to which you refer. In reply, I have to say that my colleagues and myself have fully considered the matter in question, and have arrived at the conclusion that in many respects the adoption of your suggestions would be to give an unfair advantage to people in England over the people in the colony as respects the acquisition of land —a result which, I feel assured, did not present itself to you. I need scarcely say that land in New Zealand is a limited quantity, and that the demand for its acquisition by those who are daily finding their way to the colony, as well as by the families of old settlers, is so steadily on the increase that there is no need for the Government to stimulate such demand by extraordinary means. I quite agree with you that there is in the colony a splendid field for the manly youth of Great Britain, who may have the energy and the disposition to betake themselves to farming pursuits. I think, however, it would be much better for them to find their way to New Zealand as others have done; they could then select land on the same terms as others, and, if need be, acquire a modicum of colonial experience before doing so.