F.—4.

1883. NEW ZEALAND.

CONVEYANCE OF IMMIGRANTS AND CARGO BY DIRECT STEAM LINE TO THE COLONY (FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Messrs. Levin and Co. to the Hon. the Minister of Immigration. Sir,— Wellington, 19th July, 1883. We have the honour to inform you that by the Suez mail, which arrived yesterday, we received advices from the head office of the Shaw-Savill and Albion Company (Limited), confirming the information, which has already reached by cable, that the company has arranged for building steamers for the New Zealand trade. They state that they are prepared to undertake the conveyance of Government passengers and freight both by steamers and sailing vessels ; and we therefore trust that any arrangement which may be come to by the Government in this connection will leave such carrying open to competition, so that the company we represent may have the opportunity of tendering for the whole or a portion of the Government freight. We think it only right to add —judging from the information before us, and from the fact that the steamers are specially designed and constructed for this trade by Messrs. Denny Brothers, of Dumbarton—that the Shaw-Savill and Albion Company will be in a position to carry emigrants and cargo at rates that will bear favourable comparison with those which the Government are now paying or have hitherto paid. We have, &c, Levin and Co., Agents for the Shaw-Savill and Albion Company (Limited). The Hon. the Minister of Immigration, Wellington.

No. 2. The Hon. the Minister of Immigration to Messrs. Levin and Co. Gentlemen, — Wellington, 20th July, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, which has just now been put into my hands, in which you state the purport of advices received from the head office of the Shaw-Savill and Albion Company (Limited), to the effect that the company has arranged for building steamers for the New Zealand trade, and are prepared to undertake the conveyance of Government passengers and freight both by steamers and sailing vessels; and express the hope that any arrangement which may be made by the Government in this connection will leave such carrying open to competition, so that the company you represent may have an opportunity of tendering for the whole or a portion of the Government freight. In reply, I have to state that the matter is now under the consideration of the Government, and the question will shortly be brought before Parliament, when the Government will be prepared to indicate th^course which they will adopt. I have, &c, Messrs. Levin and Co., Wellington. Wm. Eolleston.

No. 3. The New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited) to the Hon. the Premier. Sir,— Wellington, 20th July, 1883. We have the honour td" jremind you that, in a letter addressed to you on the Bth August, 1882 (F.-4a, 1882), the.New Zealand Shipping Company offered to undertake the establishment of a direct steam service from England to and from New Zealand, on conditions therein stated in full. Since that date you are aware that the New Zealand Shipping Company have commenced the service by employing, in the first place, the best steam-vessels they could procure that were suitable for the service, and at the same time they contracted for the building of three first-class steam-