10

H.—2B

No. 2. The Under Secretary for Immigration to Hon. Mr. J. A. Bonar. (No. 18.) Immigration Office, Wellington, 13th August, 1877. I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. the Minister for Immigration, to acknowledge the receipt of your interesting letter of the 21st May last, forwarding the annual report of the Eesident Agent upon the special settlement at Jackson's Bay. Mr. Eeid desires me to express his satisfaction with the progress the settlement has made, and the evident energy and determination displayed by the settlers in overcoming the difficulties which have to be encountered by all pioneers of settlements; and to state that the Government is most desirous of assisting, to the extent of the votes originally taken for the purpose, in making the settlement a success by finding further employment for the settlers to enable them to more completely establish themselves upon their farms. With this view it is proposed to open up and make the country accessible by means of roads and bridges, and a vote of £G,OOO will be proposed to the Legislature, for this purpose, as recommended in the report of the Eesident Agent. A portion of this amount will be made available for prospecting for minerals, but the Government is unable to undertake to provide saw-mills as suggested. It is hoped that, after the expenditure of this further sum of £6,000, the settlement will be permanently established, and that the settlers will be in a position to maintain themselves without further assistance from the Government. I have, &c, J. A. Bonar, Esq., M.L.C., J. Giles. Executive Officer, Hokitika.

No. 3. The Resident Agent to Mr. Patten, Hokitika. Sib, — Resident Agent's Office, Jackson's Bay, 27th July, 1877. I have the honor to report that on the 29th June a settler's wife at Smoothwater met with her death through the falling of a tree on his house. The circumstances were as follows: —The husband of the deceased was engaged cutting down a tree in the neighbourhood of his house, and he told his wife to keep outside until such time as the tree was down, as it might fall on the house. She expressed great fear about the tree, but, for some unaccountable reason, just before the tree was cut through, she went inside, and before she could get out she was caught by the falling tree and was killed on the spot. A child that she had with her was unhurt. I held an inquest on the body, when the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. The accident threw quite a gloom over the settlement. I enclose copy of report from Mr. Kirkland, of Melbourne, on the Jackson's River Quartz Reef. The shareholders intend testing the reef further. There is an immense body of stone and good water-power, but it will require some capital to get the work started. lam unable to report in full on the settlement at this time, but will do so by next mail. I have, &c, 1). Macpablane, E. Patten, Esq., Hokitika. Resident Agent. Enclosure in No. 3. Report by Mr. J. D. Kiekland, M.8., Lecturer on Metallurgy. Sib,— Medical School Laboratory, the University, Melbourne, 11th July, 1577. The assay of the samples of stone (about 500 pounds) forwarded by you from Jackson's River, Jackson's Bay, Westland, gives 6 dwts. 12 grains of gold per ton. Material at a lower level may possibly be found to contain more. I should therefore be disposed to examine further samples. Awaiting your reply, I have, &c, John Deummond Kiekland, M.8., J. Nightingale, Esq., Legal Manager, Lecturer on Metallurgy. Star of the South Quartz Reef Company.

No. 4. The Resident Agent to Mr. Patten, Hokitika. Sir, — Resident Agent's Office, Jackson's Bay, 20th August, 1877. I have the honor to report that the various works are progressing in the ordinary manner as the weather will permit, but, as it has been very stormy, not much has been done. Mr. Stewart arrived with another small lot of dairy cattle ; part of his mob went back about the Haast Gorge, and two fine cows were killed on Hutchiuson's Track. Mr. Stewart says that he does not care about risking any more until the road is rendered passable. I intend visiting the Gorge shortly, taking with me Mr. Nightingale, and I will then report on the advisability or otherwise of repairing the track. Mr. Stewart disposed of the whole of his cattle, and could have placed more. Another party (two of the settlers) brought over 100 sheep, some for breeding purposes and some for killing. We have now over 180 head of cattle on the settlement, and all owned by bond fide settlers. I have nothing of any importance to communicate by this mail. I trust that arrangements may be made to get rid of the store business as soon as convenient. Mr. De Montalk writes you by this mail on the subject of the Okura Station. I have forwarded the usual monthly vouchers, together with cheques and statement, which I hope you will find correct. I have, &c, D. Macfaklane, E. Patten, Esq., Hokitika. , Resident Agent. By Authority i Gbobge Didsbuet, Government Printer, Wellington. —1877. Price 9d.]