D.—3a

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colonial industries; that much pressure was put upon us by you to commence sending out emigrants before any agreement had been made, and without giving us time or opportunity to communicate with our firm in New Zealand. You will also remember that we repeatedly explained to you that we had had no experience of this kind, and sought for no profit, and therefore proposed to keep separate accounts of our expenditure and receipts, and be reimbursed by the Government our actual outlay on this account. Moreover, all the details connected with it were carried out under your advice and assistance; our emigrants were shipped from time to time under your instructions, and were landed at the various ports selected by yourself; and we cannot look at our position in the matter in any other light than as the agents of the Government, acting under their supervision and direction, and seeking only to be freed from any loss. The arrangement for taking the promissory notes from the emigrants was also made under your advice, and upon your assurance that we should be able to recover them without much loss, and the amount we were to pay the Government for passage was fixed by you and agreed to by us, again asserting, at the same time, that we relied on your assurance that we should thereby be amply secured from loss, and that in this transaction we sought no profit. We arc sure that in giving us this assurance you were judging from your enlarged experience, and that you did so in all candour and good faith; although we regret that, through no fault of ours, the results have been adverse, caused mainly by the disparity of passage charges between our own and the Government emigrants first causing dissatisfaction, then by the action of the colonists themselves, and subsequently by the granting of free passages. We learn that the Government has recently invited the Legislature to condone the penalties in the case of Mr. Webb's contract, on the ground that the colony had been benefited by the San Francisco mail service. It will surely be conceded that our claim is no trifling one, and that we are entitled to an equal claim for relief with Mr. Webb. The amount in question is too large for us to cease urging the Government to reconsider their determination. We have expended, including the amount of our promissory notes to the Government, upwards of j635,000, in introducing some 2,000 emigrants into the country to its great present and prospective advantage ; and in appealing to you for a reimbursement of our expenses in connection with this matter, we have no doubt that, in honor, you would personally feel bound to admit the justice of our claim; and we feel that the Government is also bound through you in all honor to make a similar admission, and recoup us the outlay incurred in benefiting the country. It cannot be for the advantage of any country to first urge responsible persons to undertake work at the instance of the Government, assure them throughout that the means taken for their reimbursement are sufficient, and then to leave them without remedy for the large outlay they have incurred, while the country reaps all the advantage. We have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. John Brogden and Sons.

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. J. Vogel. (No. 1224.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 6th May, 1874. In my letter of 17th of April (No. 1202), I mentioned that " during the quarter ended 31st March, some ten thousand five hundred souls had been sent out." On a more careful perusal, however, of the lists, I find that the total number despatched during that period did not amount to more than 9,298 souls. I have good reason to believe, however, that between six or seven thousand will be sent during the months of May and June; and that the total number for the whole six months will not fall short of the Government order, viz. 20,000 souls. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. Julius Vogel, C.M.G., Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 4. The Agent-General to the Hon. J. Vogel. (No. 1254.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 15th May, 1874. I have the honor to enclose herewith a Schedule of the Promissory Notes taken from Messrs. J. Brogden and Sons, showing the dates at which interest upon them is due, and the dates on which the several instalments have to be paid. The interest upon them has been paid up to the 28th March last. The instalments on the first two notes being due, application has been made for payment, but has not yet been met. I have, &c, W. G. McKellar, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. (for the Agent-General). N.B. —It has not been considered necessary to print the enclosure.