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No. 55. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 934.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir, — 21st January, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 231, dated 23rd October, 1873, on the subject of the proposals to carry emigrants to the Colony, at the termination of the existing contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company, which have been made to the Government by Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., and by the agents of those gentlemen at Christchurch, respectively. I take due note of the remarks which you make with reference to the rates of passage money which were demanded last year by Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 56. The Aoent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 935.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 21st January, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 242, dated 29th October, 1873, forwarding copies of reports by the Immigration Commissioners upon the ships " Dover Castle" and "Otago," which vessels, you inform me, arrived at Port Chalmers on the 10th and 11th October respectively. I am pleased to learn from these reports that both vessels arrived in a satisfactory condition, and that the emigrants are stated to be " a good class," and " well fitted to supply present requirements." I have, &c., I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 57. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 972.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 23rd January, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 226, dated 21st October, 1873, forwarding copy of the report of the Immigration Commissioners upon the ship " Celestial Queen," which, you inform me, arrived at Lyttelton upon 4th October. I have referred to the Despatching Officer that portion of the report which relates to the condition of the ship's " condenser," and to the bad quality of the cheese put on board for the use of the emigrants. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 58. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 974.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 23rd January, 1874. Referring to my letter No. 901, dated the 14th January, 1874, I have the honor to state that although the whole of the emigrants by the " Scimitar " have received contract tickets for Dunedin, the port at which the ship discharges her passengers, it was previously arranged with the Committee of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union, that any of the passengers who preferred to proceed to Canterbury or Wellington, should be forwarded to their destination at the expense of the Government. This arrangement was made because the Union's Secretary represented to me that some of the persons introduced by him desired to settle in Canterbury and others in Wellington. Will you have the goodness to issue the necessary instructions to the Immigration Officers at the ports named. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.