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No. 24. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. (No. 58.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th April, 1877. I have the honor to forward herewith, for your information, copy of correspondence with the New Zealand Shipping Company, with regard to the refusal of the Albion Company to take up the Clyde emigration. I have, &c, Geo. McLean, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. (for the Minister for Immigration).

Enclosure 1 in No. 24. The General Manager, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch, to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. The New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), Christchurch, Sir,— Bth March, 1877. By the inward mail I received from our London manager a copy of a letter addressed to him on the 12th January last by the Agent-General, informing him that the Albion Shipping Company declined to take up that portion of the emigration contract which you reserved for them in the articles of agreement concluded between the Government and this Company on the sixteenth of November last. Sir Julius Vogel did not say anything in his letter about this Company's duty under the circumstances, and I have daily expected to receive from you an official intimation of the refusal of the Albion Shipping Company to carry the emigrants from the Clyde to the Province of Otago, and of the obligation which now rests on us to do so. But as it is very desirable that by the outgoing mail our manager in London should be in full possession of the views of the Government, and as we are most anxious in every way to meet them, I have the honor to inform you that by the mail now leaving I am instructing our manager to call on the Agent-General, and to intimate that, though this branch of the work is thrown on us both unexpectedly and inconveniently, we shall arrange to meet your demands and wishes in respect to it promptly. And lam instructed by my Directors to suggest, under the circumstances, that we may be permitted to bring the Clyde proper emigrants by rail to London or Plymouth for embarkation at our expense, the Government, as at present, bearing the expense of and transporting the Irish and other emigrants to either London or Plymouth, instead of to the Clyde, for embarkation. I venture to prefer this request because, as a matter of fact, a large number of the emigrants heretofore shipped from the Clyde have first been sent there from England and Ireland, and the course I propose will not entail any extra expense on the Government, while it will facilitate the despatch of our ships under the contract. If you approve my proposition, we shall much appreciate your prompt advices to the Agent-General. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, H. Selwyn Smith, Wellington. General Manager.

Enclosure 2 in No. 24. The Under Secretary for Immigration to the General Manager, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch. Sir,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 17th March, 1877. I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. Mr. McLean, acting for the Minister for Immigration, to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the Bth instant upon the subject of the refusal of the Albion Shipping Company to take up that portion of the emigration contract which was reserved for them in the articles of agreement between the Government and your Company. I have to express to you the thanks of the Government for your remarks, and for the instructions you have so promptly forwarded to your manager in England. 1 have, however, to inform you that the Government cannot accede to your request that your Company should be permitted to bring the Clyde emigrants to London or Plymouth by rail for embarkation. I have, &c, H. Selwyn Smith, Esq., General Manager, J. Giles. New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch.

No. 25. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 17th April, 1877. Sloman's claim : Approve proposed settlement. Bank order next mail. Pollen.