43

D.—2.

indorsing his approval, but at the same time noting that he did so because he understood that such a course was in accordance with the spirit of the agreement, but that he considered the system very undesirable. With the exception of the two passengers in the case of the " Orari," the Shipping Company have not been dealt with exceptionally in this matter. W. Kennaway.

No. 26. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 119.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sic,— 9th February, 1877. I have the honor to inform you that I have completed arrangements with the Mutual Tontine Association for the exchange of office rooms indicated in my letter No. 61 of January. By this arrangement I give up five rooms on the ground floor of this building and two rooms on the third floor, and take in their stead the four rooms which adjoin those already occupied by this department on the first floor. The conditions under which I have effected this exchange are as follows :—I retain the four rooms under the same terms as heretofore—viz., a lease of seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years from September 29th, 1871, and as to the four new rooms, I take them on a lease of seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years to date from March 25th next, and containing, with one exception, similar provisions to those in the old lease. In the old lease the lessor is bound to paper and paint the rooms when called upon to do so by the lessee, but in the lease of the new rooms this provision is left out, and neither lessor nor lessee are bound to repair. This is the only difference, except as regards time, between the two leases, and was made a condition by the Association in consenting to the transfer, which, as it involved a decrease in the total amount of rental, was, in their estimation, not altogether favourable to their interests. The rental of the rooms given up amounted to £305 per annum, the rental of the new rooms is £250, and, as I mentioned in my previous letter, the change will much facilitate the transaction of the business of the department. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Julius Vogel, Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 27. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. (No. 124.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 6th February, 1877. Referring to your letter No. 173, of 27th July last, requesting me to cause inquiries to be made into the matter of Douglas's patent boat-lowering apparatus, and to report, I have the honor to transmit copies of the following letters, &c.: — 1. Report dated 13th January from the Despatching Officer of the department. 2. Letter dated 29th January from Mr. Galbraith, of the firm of Patrick Henderson and Co. 3. Letter dated January 30th to Board of Trade, with their reply thereto of sth February. On the perusal of the above it would appear on the whole that, so far as the opinions I enclose arc concerned, it would hardly be desirable as yet to substitute Douglas's patent for that of Clifford's. You will be able to obtain skilled opinions in New Zealand. I should like to have definite instructions on the subject, as Mr Douglas has applied more than once to me to urge that his plan be adopted. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Jnnus Vogel, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 27. Mr. E. A. Smith to the Agent-Geneeal. Sir,- — 7, Westminster Chambers, 13th January, 1877. With reference to the despatch attached hereto, No. 173, of 27th July, 1876, from the Hon. the Minister for Immigration, relative to a statement which had been made by an hon. member of the New Zealand Parliament, " that Douglas's patent for boat lowering was superior in every way to Clifford's," I was instructed by Sir AVilliam Power to report on the relative merits of both plans, and also on Young's patent. I regret that my report has been so long delayed, but, in addition to the pressure of other duties, I have had considerable difficulty in obtaining any information as to Young's patent, and have only very recently learnt that this patent was sold to a limited company, which is now wound up. There are numerous plans for boat lowering, the greater number of which, though very ingenious, are unfortunately impracticable, and although as models they appear very simple and easily worked, they mostly fail to stand the test of hard practical work. A gain, most of the plans are misnamed, being disengaging and not lowering apparatus, the plan for lowering in each case being the old ordinary boats-falls. There aro only three plans that I know of which combine lowering with disengaging —namely, Clifford's, Sweeting's, and Hill and Clark's. By the first-named plan the boat is lowered under the control of one man in the boat; by the other two tho boats aro lowered under the control of one man on board the ship. Of all the plans yet brought forward there is none, in my opinion, that can be at all compared with Clifford's for simplicity in working and readiness in all emergencies. I have never heard an authenticated case of its failure, nor do I think it can fail to be efficient at all times, if only ordinary attention