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No. 29. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 3rd December, 1879. Referring to my letter No. 610, of 17th July, in which I informed you of the arrangement which I had made with Mr. Julius S. Jeffreys, I have the honor to inform you that I extended his engagement from the 30th September to the 30th November, and have now again renewed it for two months; and in reference thereto I have to request you to instruct me by telegram or otherwise whether lam to continue to employ him. If you send me a telegram containing the word " Jeffreys" I shall understand that lam to renew his engagement ; if, however, you telegraph the word " Julius," I shall understand that I am not to continue it. I have reason to believe that Mr. Jeffreys has been the means of inducing several persons with capital to proceed to New Zealand. I may, however, remark that, while there is no doubt that agents such as Mr. Jeffreys and others are often instrumental in persuading persons having capital to go out to the colony with a view of settling there, yet it is a question in my mind how far the representations they make, and which are practically uncontrolled, throw responsibility on the Government in cases where the persons thus induced to go do not succeed. 1 have, &c., Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.
No. 30. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 13th December, 1879. I have the honor to inform you that I have lately received a number of letters from America, representing that paragraphs have appeared in many of the newspapers in that country stating that school-teachers were in demand in New Zealand, and referring applicants for such appointments to me. As I have not received any communication from the educational authorities in New Zealand respecting this matter, I have replied that I am unable to give any further information than that all such appointments are made by the Education Boards in the colony, to whom personal application is necessary. As I have also similar applications made to me from many persons in this country, stating that they hold good certificates as school-teachers, I shall be glad to receive from time to time such information respecting the subject as will enable me to reply more definitely than I am at present able to do. I have, &c., Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.
No. 81. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 18th December, 1879. I have not received a reply to my letter of 23rd April, No. 355,* other than a telegram.f In my letter above referred to I asked the Government for permission to enter into negotiations with the view of laying before thorn a proposal, which they could accept or not. The tone of the telegram surprised me, because it would seem as if the Government considered that I had asked them to give a definite acceptance to a proposal, whereas I was only opening the way to laying one before them. Besides, I had reason to believe the Minister for Immigration thought favourably of the suggestion. I venture therefore to reopen the subject. I have seen a little of Falmouth since I first wrote on the subject, and I should find it difficult to overrate its capabilities. Its harbour is splendid; and, as it is practically out of the Channel, the convenience to passengers who dread the Channel passage is not to be overrated. The town is at present in. a very depressed condition, and I am convinced the Government could make almost their own terms. The advantage of having a depot solely at the disposal of emigrants to New Zealand would be very great. I consider the common use of the depot at Plymouth by all the colonies a great disadvantage. Not only have our arrangements to be made to fit in with those of other colonies, but of course the risk of infection is increased by the use of the depot being so largely extended. In my opinion, if the Government had a depot here of its own it might be made almost, if not quite, self-supporting, and be the means of saving a great deal of money now spent on assisted emigration. I believe the time has come when a large number of people are willing to pay their own passages. If the Government on moderate terms allowed to emigrants the use of a depot on this side and of one in the colony, the difficulties in the way of self-paying emigrants would be largely removed. The railway service to Ealmouth is very much improved;
* No. 1, D.-7, Sess. L, 1879. t 2, D.-7, Seas. 1., 1879.