D.—2a.

2

I enclose for your information a return showing the number of officers employed in or under the control of this department —Ist, in 1875 ; 2nd, in December 1876 (the time at which I commenced to hold office as Agent-General) ; and 3rd, those who will remain ou the reductions which I have mentioned in this letter being carried into effect. The offices are, as you are probably aware, held under lease, so that, even if it were desirable, it is not possible to reduce the amount of rent for which the Government is liable ; but I propose, if I can, to give up a store-room which is held under a weekly tenancy, and arrange to store the records and other papers, books, &c, of this department in tlie offices held under lease, thus saving a rental of £30 per annum. With reference to the special and local agents, as I informed the Colonial Secretary in my letter of April, I have given Mr. Holloway notice of the termination of his engagement. Mr. Bathgate has sailed for New Zealand, and I have terminated Mr. Clayden's engagement. With reference to Mr. Reed, you are aware that with the full approval of the Government he opened an office at Belfast, employing a clerk, &c. Under the present circumstances, however, I think I shall be acting in conformity with the Government's wishes in closing this office, and dispensing with the services of the clerk, &c. Mr. Reed's engagement, as by the particulars given in your letter No. 263, of the 21th December, 1878, is for two years from the 18th December, 1878, terminable after that period by six months' notice ; and during the remainder of his engagement he can, unless you instruct me to the contrary, promote, so far as possible without incurring extra expense, the emigration to the colony of men experienced in farming, and with means sufficient to enable them to follow that pursuit. I judge that you will wish me to give him the requisite notice at the end of the two years. As regards local agents, I am not employing any with the exception of Mr. Ottywell, who is obtaining applications from a few domestic servants in Scotland; and any others who have applied to ba thus employed I have informed that I have no present occasion for their services. With reference to the impression iu this country as to the opening in New Zealand for workingmen, I believe it is now well known that the labour-market in the colony is much overstocked; but still, notwithstanding, you will, I think, find cases in which persons, under a variety of circumstances ■—such as friends aiding them on condition that they go to some colony, or inability to obtain employment here—will come out notwithstanding all that they hear to discourage them, while at the same time some of these very persons will, on arrival, and on finding difficulty in obtaining employment, complain that they were encouraged to go. I shall, as I have hitherto, do all I can to discourage unsuitable people or working-men without means from proceeding to the colony until I receive instructions from you to do otherwise. I venture to direct your attention to the course I formerly adopted of sending out a special ship for farmers. I took the responsibility of making the experiment, and succeeded in despatching a ship with 255 souls, equal to 222J statute adults, paying £25 per statute adult for their passages, to which amount I contributed on account of eight families, equal to 35 statute adults, the sum of £138 15s. in all. The instances in which I rendered aid were generally to enable farmers with families to pay part of the passage-money, so as not to interfere with the capital they were able to realize here to take with them for investment in their new home. I enclose for your information the form which, with references and certificates of health, I required all applicants for such assistance to send in. I am aware that a great deal may be said about the propriety of assisting with money those who are not absolutely without it. But there is no use in partially applying a principle. If the Government is willing to spend money in getting out farmers, surely they had better make the best use of it. A great deal of money has been spent on agents travelling about the country, and it need scarcely be said that the promoters of special settlements under Government auspices make a great deal of money by buying land from the Government at one price and selling it at another. But if the Government really are willing to aid the settlement of farmers with small capital, they can, I think, make the money they are willing to spend go much further by putting on special, ships after the plan adopted in the case of the " Wanganui." There will be no difficulty, in my opinion, in finding farmers willing to go. The number of skilled farmers with small capital seeking for new homes is very large; but the expense of passages to New Zealand —especially where there arc large families—is very heavy, and in numerous cases in consequence they turn to Canada, although but for the expense they would prefer New Zealand. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, AYellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure in No. 1. Returns showing Number of Officers employed in or under the control of the Agent-General's Department, as follows : No. 1, in 1875 ; No. 2, in December, 1876 ; and No. 8, when the Reductions mentioned in Letter No. 402, of 14th June, have been carried into effect. No. 1, 1875. Mr. Andrews, Assistant Despatching Officer. _ .. _ „ Robertson „ „ Secretary to the Department. gborU 01erk< Private Secretary. Lon<>Clerk. " Tnrrmn Accountant. »• . £ lerk- „ Johnston „ Messenger. _ Pufter ~ Bayford ~ Emioeatiox— „ Goodman „ Mr. Oltywell. „ Carson „ „ Carter. „ Price ~ „ Smith, Despatching Officer. Four temporary Clerics and Messenger