D.—2.

12

During the past emigration season Mr. Holloway has proved himself very useful and energetic in the discharge of the duties of his office as Special Emigration Agent, and I believe, if emigration is resumed next year, that his services are well worth the expenditure incurred in retaining him in the employment of the Government. His knowledge and position as regards farm labourers of the country districts make him especially useful in obtaining emigrants of that class, and in making special inquiries into the circumstances of those who apply direct to this office for passages to the colony. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Julius Vogel, Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 12. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Report for Month of November. (No. 1132.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, 8.W., Sic, — Ist December, 1877. I have the honor to report as follows as to the proceedings of my department during the past month of November. The following vessels were despatched for the undermentioned ports at the dates given below:— On November 3rd, the " Gainsborough," from Plymouth, for Nelson and Wellington, with 17 souls, equal to 17 statute adults, for Nelson; 68 souls, equal to 63 statute adults, for Westland; 56 souls, equal to 46 statute adults, for Marlborough ; 18 souls, equal to 15^ statute adults, for Hawke's Bay ; and 91 souls, equal to 78-|- statute adults, for Wellington—the total nnmber being 250 souls, equal to 220 adults, including 81 single women. On November sth, the " Carnatic," from Plymouth, for Lyttelton, with 195 souls, equal to 177 adults, including 51 single women. On November 20th, the " Piako," from Plymouth, for Port Chalmers, with 167 souls, equal to 146 adults, including 37 single women. On November 23rd, the " Wellington," from the Clyde, for Port Chalmers, with 295 souls, equal to 272 adults, including 82 single women. On November 25th, the " Wanganui," from Plymouth, for Lyttelton, with 261 souls, equal to 221 i adults, including 75 single women. The above-named five vessels thus embarked during November a total of 1,148 souls, equal to 1,085$ adults, including 326 single women —making the total number despatched, since the receipt of your instructions of May 19th, 5,356 souls, equal to 4,8051 adults, including 1,402 single women. In my report, dated October Ist, for the month of September, a clerical error was made in giving the numbers proceeding by the "Eakaia" from the Clyde to Lyttelton: instead of 258 souls, equal to 226^ adults, they should have been given as 294 souls, equal to 273 adults. The stormy weather which was prevalent during the end of October and nearly the whole of last month has been partly the cause of some of these vessels not being despatched on the days named in my previous report. The " Piako" was detained on account of two cases of scarlet fever having occurred amongst the emigrants after they were embarked. Every precaution was at once taken to prevent the spread of the illness, and the Board of Trade officers, on whom lay the responsibility of detaining or allowing her to proceed, allowed her to sail after a detention of five days. The sailing of these vessels brings to a close the emigration season of this year, as although, as will be seen by a return I attach hereto, the whole number ordered in the Premier's telegram of May 19th has not been sent, yet any vessels sailing after the end of November would not probably arrive before the end of February, the latest date at which the Government desired that emigrants should arrive in the colony. I withdrew all the advertisements inserted in English and Irish papers at the end of October, and those in the Scotch papers were withdrawn on the 9th November. The services of the clerks taken on temporarily at this office and at the Agency at Edinburgh, at the commencement of the emigration season, will now be dispensed with, and, one of the permanent clerks at this office having resigned his appointment, I shall not fill up the vacancy caused by his retirement. As regards Mr. Holloway, taking in consideration the value of his services in the obtaining and selection of farm labourers, I have arranged to give him a reduced salary until either his services are again required, or it is determined to dispense with them altogether. The number of applications for passages was at once much reduced on the withdrawal of the advertisements, but still there are many yet applying both for passages and for information respecting the colony. Tenders for the conveyance of Government cargo and emigrants to New Zealand were invited during the past month, and a number of shipping firms applied for the conditions and forms of tender, but tenders were received only from Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., the New Zealand Shipping Company, and Messrs. Trinder, Anderson, and Co. for the London or Plymouth service, and from the Albion Shipping Company only for the Glasgow service. The following shipments of railway material and stores were made during the past month : 10 cases stationery, 7 packages clothing (Industrial Schools at Burnham, Canterbury), 415 tons rails, 216 tyres and 28 wheels, 1 case vulcanite shields, drugs for the Christchurch Hospital, 3,300 gallons oil, 65 sets wagon ironwork, 150 wheels and axles, 503 packages telegraph material, 86 packages bookbinding material, 3 cases chemicals.