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No. 26. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to tho Agent-General, (No. 69.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 25th April, 1877. With reference to your telegram of 17th instant to the. Hon the Premier, I have to inform you that the sum of £9,500 has been imprested to you to meet the payments you have agreed to make to Messrs. Sloman and Mr. Kirchner. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. D. Eeid.

No. 27. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. (No. 68.) Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 26th April, 1877. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th March ultimo, forwarding copy of correspondence with respect to the payment of certain liabilities of the Otago Home agency, and informing me of what you have done with regard to the payment of the salaries. I have to thank you for the information, and to state that the action which you have taken is quite satisfactory. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. D. Eeid.

No. 28. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. (No. 79.) Sir,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 30th April, 1877. Eeferring to your letters of the numbers and dates quoted in the margin,* I have the honor to inform you that I agree with you in considering Captain Brown's offer to bring emigrants from New Brunswick to New Zealand better suited to be entertained by a private company than by the Government. Your action in communicating with the Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation upon the subject is accordingly approved. , I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. D. Eeid.

No. 29. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General, (No. 84.) Sir,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 4th May, 1877. With reference to your letter of the 9th January last, No. 16, asking whether there would be a reasonable prospect of employment in the colony for trained hospital nurses, I have the honor to inform you that with the view of giving you the information you desire, I have caused inquiries to be made in different parts of the colony. The general opinion of the medical officers to hospitals seems to be that for the men's wards in colonial hospitals, and for the class of patients generally located there, male attendants and wardsmen are more suitable; and that when trained female nurses are required it is better that they should be specially selected and sent out by some one requested to undertake that office by the hospital authorities. At only one hospital, Nelson, does it appear that this course has actally been adopted. On tho other hand, there seems reason to believe that a demand exists for skilled nurses in private homes, and that in any of the larger towns such persons might reasonably expect that the public would by degrees come to appreciate their services and give them employment. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. D. Eeid.

No. 30. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. (No. 89.) Sir,— Immigration Office, Wellington, 16th May, 1877. Eeferring to your letter No. 203, of the Bth March last, inquiring as to the prospect of employment for rabbit-trappers in this colony, I have the honor to transmit, for your information, copy of a memorandum by the Commissioner of Crown Lands at lnvercargill; also copy of a printed " Eeport of the Babbit Nuisance Committee " of last session. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. D. Eeid. * No. 177, 10th February, 1877; No. 198, 6th March, 1877. 3-D. 1.