D.—2.

5

No. 8. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 12th July, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 15th May, No. 118,* transmitting copies of correspondence with Mr. John Bathgate, aud requesting me to utilize his services in England in promoting emigration to the colony. In reply I beg to state that I will give effect to your wishes in this matter. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 9. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 12th July, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 122, of 21st May last,f directing my attention to the amount of commission paid to local agents, aud to the opinion of your predecessor in office expressed in his letter of the 23rd April, 1878. % This was a subject which I have not neglected to take into consideration in connection with other matters relating to the organization of this department, and, by my letter No. 193, of 12th February last,§ in reply to that of the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, No. 191, of the 4th December last, in which, amongst other matter, he expressly asked for information respecting the dispensing with the sorvices of the local agents, I stated the steps which I had decided to take respecting them, and which had the effect of dispensing with the services of 117 local agents out of 159, the result being that I retained tho services only of 2 local agents in Ireland, 16 in England, and 20 in Scotland. la my letter to the Colonial Secretary I gave my reasons for so acting; and the receipt of this letter was acknowledged by letter dated 21st April. I may explain hero that I felt unable to deal at once with the local agents, as suggested in your predecessor's letter of 23rd April, 1878, || as when I received it the emigration work of the year was in full operation, and all the local agents had received definite instructions for the season, so that if I had then dispensed with their services they would have all probably protested against my action, and I might have been, proceeded against for breach of contract. I may also remark that in the three previous years to this—namely, 187G, 1877, and 1878 — the desire to emigrate on the part of that class of workpeople residing in the United Kingdom suitable for the requirements of New Zealand has been very slack in comparison with the feeling which has arisen since the beginning of this year ; so that, although I could have obtained a large number of emigrants this year without any aid from local agents, yet in the previous years it would have been perhaps difficult to have done so. With regard to your remark to the effect that it appears to you that, with the assistance of the gentlemen who have been sent from the colony for the purpose of disseminating information respecting New Zealand, there is less need than ever of paying local agents by commission, I would venture to observe that they do not altogether supply the place of local agents. The local agent is useful principally on account of his having a permanent office in a certain locality, at which intending emigrants can apply for forms, &c, aud whose personal knowledge of the applicants, and of the persons who sign their testimonials, can be made available in selecting emigrants. For instance, Mr. Burton, who was one of the most successful of those who came from the colony to assist in promoting free emigration, found it of very great advantage that the services of the local agent of the district to which he more especially confined his work were retained, so that both could work together on the object they had in view. At present, however, considering the very strong feeling in all parts of the country in favour of emigration, the services of the local agents are not required. The payments for this year, therefore, to local agents will be, comparatively speaking, very small. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 10. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London. 16th July, 1879. I have the honor to enclose the copy of a letter received from the Rev. Mr. Berry. In reply to his letter, I have stated that I do not consider I have authority to make so extended an appointment. I shall be glad if you will telegraph " Richmond," to indicate that I am to accept Mr. Berry's proposal, or " Oliver," to indicate a negative answer. Mr. Berry is one of the best agents you have sent Home. It is fairly a question, however,

* No. 47, D.-l, Sew. 1., 1879. f No. 49, D.-l, Sese. 1., 1879. J No. 12, D.-l, 1878. § No. 1, D.-3, Sess. 11., 1879. || No. 12, ».—l, 1878.