D.—s

22

As the tone of your letter of the 7th iust. is more courteous than has been the character of the letters which for some time past have been received by me from the General Government, I conclude by saying that the Provincial Government will have no objection to an interview with you to talk over this important question at any time convenient to yourself. I have, &c, William Fitzhebbeet, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Superintendent.

No. 54. The Hon. the Ministee for Immigeation to His Honor the Supebintendent, Wellington. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 18th April, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th, in reply to mine of the 7th instant, on the subject of the settlement of immigrants, in which you place before me the proposals of the Provincial Government. 2. I am glad that you have stated those proposals in a specific form, such as may enable us readily to come to a conclusion. 3. Concerning the Masterton Boad, I am informed by my colleague the Minister for Public Works, that the sum remaining at the disposal of the Government out of the £400,000 for roads in the North Island, would not be sufficient to metal the road. But there is still expenditure going on for the purpose of finishing the road, and arrangements might be made for metalling it if your Honor were prepared to allow the.cost to be a first charge upon the proceeds of the lands which you propose to offer for sale. It would, however, be better not to attempt to settle the details of such an arrangement for a few days, as Mr. Blackett has been specially instructed to inspect the road on his way overland from Napier, and to report respecting it. 4. As to the Paraekaretu Block, which, by your letter, your Honor proposes the General Government should purchase for £50,000, one half of the sum to be expended on roads to open up the land, and the other half to become the Provincial revenue, I have to say that such a purchase would obviously be outside the purposes for which the Immigration Fund was provided, seeing that already the Government has power to take land under the Immigration and Public Works Act, payment for it being made only as the land is disposed of. 5. I should be ready, however, to consider an arrangement upon some such basis as this : —The land to be offered for sale upon terms to be agreed upon with your Honor. An advance to be made by the Immigration Department for the construction of a road or roads for the benefit of the block, so that immigrants could be employed upon the road works. The advance to be repaid out of the proceeds of sales of the land. 6. I am concerned to find that your Honor does not consider that the letters received by you from the General Government for some time past have been of a courteous character. 7. The Government have had a very disagreeable duty to perform, in insisting that the law should be observed ; but it has been their desire to perform it with the utmost possible tenderness for your Honor's feelings. 8. I am glad to find that your Honor is better satisfied with my last letter, and I will not carp at any expression of opinion which is associated with the pleasure you will afford me in the interview you are kind enough to consent to. 9. It will be convenient for me to meet your Honor on Tuesday or Wednesday next, at half-past 12 o'clock. I shall be glad to find that either of those times will suit you, or to substitute any other time that may be named by your Honor. I have, &c, His Honor tho Superintendent, Wellington. Julius

No. 55. His Honor the Supebintendent, Wellington, to the Hon. the Ministee for Immigeation. Sib, — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 24th April, 1874. I refer to our interview of the 21st instant and to-day, relative to the setting aside blocks of land in this Province so as to lie open for the selection of immigrants as they arrive, and to the draft conditions regulating the terms of settlement on such lands, which have been transmitted to you. I readily adopt the suggestion you made to the effect that, in the event of simultaneous applications, the decision shall be by lot, and not by auction. I propose that four blocks should be selected in this Province, by officers appointed by consent of tho General and Provincial Governments, out of the public lands of the Province, of say 20,000 acres each, suitable for location, having reference to quality of soil, timber, and neighbourhood of road already made or immediately to be made. The price of such land to be not less than 20s. per acre; the lines of roads throughout tho blocks to be first determined, and then the surveys to be made in relation to such lines, the land being sectioned into blocks varying from 50 to 500 acres. The precise price of each allotment to be determined by agreement between the General and Provincial Governments, after special report received upon the value of each block subsequent to survey. The land to be paid for upon the following terms, viz.: —2o per cent, cash on selection; 20 pea cent, at end of second year; 20 per cent, at end of third year; 20 per cent, at end of fourth year; 20 per cent, at end of fifth year.