D.—s

8

sary expenditure for the purpose, which I consider a fair charge against the vote for location of immigrants ; but I trust to your Honor to locate no more old settlers than are absolutely necessary for the purpose, and I shall be glad to hear from time to time how many are so located. The application of any portion of this money for affording early settlers the same advantages as are offered to recent arrivals is a very different matter, and cannot be entertained under the existing Appropriation Act, and under the Acts in force relating to immigration. It may or may not be desirable as a matter of policy ; but the Government have to carry out the existing law, and I feel sure that, upon consideration, you will agree with me, that this absolutely precludes my consenting to the proposals of the Provincial Government. I have to thank your Honor for the copies of the Regulations for Special Settlements, and for the copy of the Colonist containing a report upon the settlement. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Nelson. H. A. Atkinson.

No. 18. • His Honor the Supeeintendent, Nelson, to the Hon. the Ministeb for Immigbation. (No. 174.) Sib, — Superintendent's Office, Nelson, 3rd March, 1875. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist instant, in answer to mine of the 19th ultimo, in which you are good enough to comply with my request that a portion of the funds available for the settlement of immigrants may be devoted to forwarding and locating, in the special settlement at the Karamea, a few families of experienced settlers, whose advice and example, I consider, would be of great service to the newly-arrived immigrants. I will take care that the number of families forwarded shall be in accordance with the views you express, and that you are kept thoroughly informed upon the subject. I regret that you find yourself unable to assent to a more general application, in this direction, of the funds placed at your disposal by Parliament. lam aware of the state of the law in the matter, and should probably, looking especially to correspondence with your predecessors on the subject which took place two or three years ago, not have renewed an application which had been unfavourably received, had I not been informed that your immediate predecessor, the Hon. Mr. Vogel, recently made the concession I asked for in the case of the special settlement at Jackson's Bay, in the Province of Westland. I have, &c, Oswald Cuetis, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Superintendent.

No. 19. Coeeespondence between His Honor the Supeeintendent, Nelson, and the Hon. the Ministee for Immigbation. (Telegram.) - Nelson, 18th February, 1875. Peovincial Goveenment propose to form a special settlement at Little Wanganui, a few miles south of Karamea, in connection with the latter, both being on the Karamea Plains. It is expected that the two will ultimately form one; in the meantime be of mutual assistance. Are we at liberty to apply funds individually to both? Oswald Cuetis. Hon. Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Superintendent.

(Telegram.) Wellington, 19th February, 1875. Me Special Settlement at Little Wanganui.—The Government do not wish to interfere with arrangements which, from your local knowledge, you may think desirable ; but it must be remembered that the amount available for special settlement purposes is limited, and I would suggest whether it might not be more advisable to allow the Karamea scheme some further time to develop itself before initiating another settlement. The Superintendent, Nelson. H. A. Atkinson.

WESTLAND. No. 20. His Honor the Supeeintendent, Westland, to the Hon. the Ministee for Immigbation. Sib, — # Superintendent's Office, Hokitika, Mth December, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, enclosing draft heads of agreement respecting special settlements, and requesting me to inform you if they meet with my approval. I now return you one copy of the draft, which is as arranged between Mr. Vogel and myself before leaving Wellington, aud approved of by me. In accordance with this, I have now taken the initiatory steps towards forming the settlement, the particulars of which I have the honor to submit to you. On the 22nd ultimo I started in company with the Chief Surveyor to examine the district where it was proposed to make the settlement; aud, in order that no unnecessary time might be lost, and to save the expense of a further special charter of a steamer, I took one of our oldest surveyors, with a