D.—2

26

No. 38. The Agent-G-eneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 27th January, 1879. Keferring to your letter of 6th November, No. 206, calling my attention to the inferiority of certain ships which had been employed for the conveyance of emigrants, I now have the honor to forward for your information a memorandum by my Despatching Officer, fully explaining the circumstances under which such ships were engaged. I will, in future, insist on superior vessels being supplied, as the Government hold me justified in. doing so. In the present case, it was after anxious consideration I decided that the terms of contract hardly entitled me to refuse the ships referred to. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, "Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure in No. 38. Mr. E. A. Smith to Mr. Keottavtay. Memorandum. With reference to the despatch of the Hon. the Minister for Immigration, No. 206, of 6th November, 1878, deprecating the employment of such inferior vessels as the " Edwin Fox " and " Adamant " in the conveyance of emigrants to the colony. I beg to state that it is very difficult to procure vessels of a superior description for the smaller ports, owing to the difficulty of securing sufficient cargo for them. Yon will remember that I demurred to approving of these ships, when they were offered by the Company, not on account of their being ineligible, as they are both classed Al at Lloyds, and the " Edwin Foy " in all respects met the requirements of the charter-party; but I endeavoured to get other vessels substituted for them which I might consider more eligible. It was impossible to effect this, as there was a great scarcity of tonnage at the time these ships were offered. The Agent-Greneral decided that, if they were eligible under the charter-party, he was not in a position to refuse them. In the case of the " Adamant," although her height between decks (6 feet 10 inches) scarcely met the requirements of the charter-party, she was in all other respects an eligible ship, roomy, well lighted, and well ventilated. The Company represented that there was the greatest difficulty in getting a ship better adapted than the "Adamant"; and, taking into consideration that she had been reported on favourably on her three previous voyages, she was accepted on specially favourable conditions to the Government—namely, that the Company should forward twenty-five statute adults to Hawke'a Bay, free of any additional cost, by their next Wellington ship. Edwaed A. Smith.

No. 39. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sib, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 28th January, 1879. Adverting to the passage in your despatch from the Immigration Department of the Btli November, No. 216, suggesting that the conduct of the Maori population of the West Coast, on the occasion of the wreck of the emigrant ship " City of Auckland," afforded a favourable opportunity for removing misconceptions as to their true character on the part of the British public, I have the honor to enclose you a copy of a paragraph on the subject, which I have written and caused to be inserted in the " Times " * and other principal London journals, and which is thence being extensively quoted by the provincial press. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. J. Macandrew. Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 40. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Ihhigeation. Sic, — 7, "Westminster Chambers, London, 29th January, 1879. Eeferring to your letter No. 234, of the 30th November last, and to my previous communications on the subject to which your letter refers, I have to report that on the receipt of your telegram of the 13th ultimo, informing me that the Government had arranged in the colony for the engagement of a steamer to take 600 emigrants to Ota^o, Canterbury, and Wellington, I placed myself in communication with the New Zealand Shipping Company and, on their naming the " Stad Haarlem" as the vessel they were prepared to lay on for the service, I instructed Mr. Smith, the Despatching Officer, to proceed to Amsterdam, where the " Stad Haarlem" was then lying, and report on her suitability for the conveyance of about 600 statute adults to New Zealand. On that officer reporting favourably, I informed the Shipping Company that I accepted the ship, and she is now being fitted up for the reception of the emigrants. This is being done with the greatest care under the immediate superintendence of the Despatching Officer. And I am at the same time * 17th January, 1879.