43

D.—3

No. 63. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 1010.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 19th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 20th November, No. 260, forwarding a letter, with enclosure, from his Honor the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay, relative to the forms of application for passages and certificates issued from this office to intending emigrants. I observe that you adopt the opinion expressed by His Honor, Mr. Ormond, that these forms are in some respects unsuited to the case of nominated emigrants, and consider them inapplicable to the case of ordinary emigrants also. The alterations which you indicate as desirable, shall bo made in the forms in question. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. Julius Vogel, C.M.G., Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 64. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 1011.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 19th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of letter No. 258, dated 19th November, 1873, in which you communicate to me the reply of the Hon. Mr. O'Rorke to a question put by Major Atkinson, in the House of Representatives, during the last session, on the subject of sending ships direct to New Plymouth with emigrants. In accordance with your instructions, I shall endeavour to arrange for vessels to call occasionally at New Plymouth with immigrants. It Would, however, not be right to conceal from the Government that I anticipate much difficulty in this negotiation, on account of the disinclination of shipowners—so often expressed to the Government—to allow their vessels to disembark passengers and luggage at open roadsteads. I have, &c., I. E. Featherston, The Hon. J. Vogel, C.M.G., Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General. P.S.—Since writing the above, the three Shipping Companies between whom I am instructed to divide the shipping business, have absolutely refused to allow their vessels to call at New Plymouth on any terms whatever.

No. 65. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 1013.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— ' 19th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 263, dated 24th November, on the subject of the despatch of emigrants direct for the Bluff. In reply, I beg to state that, in obedience to your earlier instructions, I arranged for the ship " Zealandia" to call at the Bluff with emigrants. This vessel sailed from London on the 29th of August. In compliance with the direction conveyed in the telegram quoted, I despatched the ship " William Davie " direct for the Bluff on the 14th January; and in accordance with the instructions contained in the last paragraph of your letter under acknowledgment, I shall endeavour to arrange for other vessels to call at the Bluff with emigrants, at intervals of about six weeks. At the same time, I deem it right to mention, that at an interview I had to-day with Messrs. Galbraith, Stringer, Pembroke,and Co., Messrs. Shaw, Savill,and Co.,and the New Zealand Shipping Company's Managers (Messrs. Turner and Coster), witli reference to future shipping arrangements, they all three declined to provide me with more than two ships for the Bluff during the next six months. I have, &c., I. E. Featherston, The Hon. Julius Vogel, C.M.G., Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.

No. 66. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 1015.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 19th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 254, dated 19th November, 1873, forwarding copy of the Immigration Commissioners' report upon the ship " Merope," which vessel you inform me arrived at Lyttelton on the 31st October. I have, &c., I. E. Featherston, The Hon. Julius Vogel, C.M.G., Wellington, N.Z. Agent-General.