D.—4.

6

Company. Reply. Saddle Hill Colliery .. . . .. None wanted. Walton Park Colliery .. .. . . None wanted. Kaitaugata Railway and Coal .. .. None wanted. North Kaitangata .. .. .. Would take two or three. Lawrence Coal-mining .. .. .. None wanted. Wellington Coal-mining .. .. .. None wanted. Kawakawa .. .. .. .. None wanted. Waikato .. .. .. .. None wanted. Taupiri .. .. .. .. None wanted. Kamo . . .. .. .. None wanted. West Wanganui .. .. .. None wanted.

No. 26. Mr. James Hamilton to the Under-Secretary for Immigration. (Telegram.) Malvern, 15th December, 1879. Can find employment for the men, but could not find house-accommodation for them. Would they live in tents ? The Under-Secretary for Immigration. James Hamilton.

No. 27. The Under-Secretary for Immigration to the Immigration Officer, Christchurch. (Telegram.) 16th December, 1879. There are fifty miners at Nelson, brought out for the Westport Colliery Company, but that Company decline to take them. Mr. James Hamilton, of Malvern, says he can find employment for these men, but he has no house-accommodation, and they would have to live in tents. Please place yourself iii communication with Mr. Hamilton, and advise what number could be sent to him with safety. Are there any cottages or depots in the vicinity of the mine where the families could stay ? lleply as soon as possible. The Immigration Officer, Christchurch. IT. J. 11. Eliott.

No. 28. The Immigration Officer, Nelson, to the Under-Secretary for Immigration. (Telegram.) 18th December, 1879. Mr. Burns is in Nelson. A deputation of coal-miners waited upon him. Could not obtain definite answers as to employment. They are very dissatisfied. They were assured by Mr. Holloway they would be employed at ten shillings per diem the day after arrival. I can get nothing definite from directors, and Mr. Burns has no instructions. If they can obtain employment elsewhere, will Government pay passages? Probable they may obtain employment at Grey. Cannot Government employ them here for a time, rather than keep fifty men idle, and support their families ? They also ask for a copy of agreement between the Government and Company as to their engagement. The Under-Secretary for Immigration, Wellington. Alfred Greenfield.

No. 29. The Under-Secretary for Immigration to the Immigration Officer, Nelson. (Telegram.) Wellington, 18th December, 1879. Government will do all it can for the miners, and will pay their passages to wherever they can find work. I have tried all the coal mines in the colony without success, except Malvern. Am still in communication with the Manager there on subject, and cannot definitely say whether it will come to anything. The Immigration Officer, Nelson. 11. J. H. Eliott.

No. 30. The Immigration Officer, Christchurch, to the Under-Secretary for Immigration. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 18th December, 1879. Have seen Mr. Hamilton; also directors of Springfield Company. They can employ the fifty miners, provided they are bond fide colliers. There is no accommodation of any kind for families; but the Company would find bricks, which they have on the ground, if Government would find labour to erect the cottages —the Company paying for the cost of this labour in coals, extending over a period of twelve or eighteen months. It is estimated that the average cost for each two-