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subsequent Suez or San Francisco mail to reply to the portion of that telegram which requested you to arrange for an early retirement from the position you hold in connection with the New Zealand Agricultural Company. I have had much pleasure in complying with your wishes. I have, &c, Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., &c, London. G. Grey. [The foregoing letters and telegrams have already been presented to both Houses of the General Assembly (vide Appendix to Journals of the House of Eepresentatives, Sess. 1., 1879, A.-10).]

No. 5. The Hon. J. Ballance to the Agent-General. Sib, — New Zealand Immigration Office, Wellington, 26th April, 1879. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th February last, No. 146, intimating that you had joined the board of directors of the New Zealand Agricultural Company (Limited), and, in reply, to inform you that the decision of the Government was conveyed to you in the following telegram, which was despatched on the 22nd instant : " Government cannot approve connection Agricultural Company. Bequest you arrange early retirement therefrom." I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. J. Ballance.

No. 6. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister of Immigration. Sir,— 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 17th June, 1879. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (No. 104) of the 26th April, 1879. I had previously received the telegram to which it refers. I wrote you last mail that I would reply to the telegram this month. The delay arose through the request of the directors that I would postpone bringing the matter before them until the return of one of their number who was absent. On the return of this gentleman I addressed to the directors a letter, of which the enclosed is a copy. I also forward copy of the reply which I have received, and, in accordance with its request, I propose to refer the matter to you for further consideration. Ido not think, in courtesy, I could refuse to do so, especially as your letter and telegram do not urge upon me hasty action. From passages which have occurred in some of the papers in New Zealand I think the objects of the company are misunderstood. It is essentially the object of the company to cut up large estates into small farms, and to settle thereon a good class of farmers. Wo are preparing at once to send out a number of these and their families, and will continue to supply similar emigrants. Nor will our operations be confined to one part of the colony. Ever since I have been Home I have urged on the Government the desirability of enabling me to make arrangements with farmers to proceed direct to farms in the colony engaged by them in advance. The best class of farmers is to be reached in this way. Men in every way suitable and with adequate means shrink from emigrating with uncertainty before them as to their proceedings in the colony. I am convinced that to allow an Agent-General to influence emigration of this character is to place him in the position of rendering the largest service to the colony. The present salary of the Agent-General is inadequate, considering the expenses he is put to, if he be restrained from entering into other pursuits. Dr. Featherston was allowed to join the Board of a bank, besides that he was permitted to draw up to £500 annually for travelling expenses. It is a common thing here for officers of the Civil Service to act as directors of public companies. There is also a land company which constantly advertises that its local board in Queensland and in South Australia is respectively presided over by the Premiers of those colonies. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Immigration, Wellington. Julius Vogel.

Enclosure 1 in No. 6. The Agent-Geneeal to the Directors, New Zealand Agricultural Company (Limited). Dear Sirs, — 135, Cromwell Eoad, South Kensington, 9th June, 1879. I have received an intimation from the Government of Now Zealand that they desire me to retire from the board of the company. It is due alike to you and myself that I should explain that when I helped to organize the company I was aware that one if not more members of the Government knew I was to do so, and approved the same. Mr. Larnach will be able to satisfy you that this was the case. I looked upon this knowledge as a tacit approval of or consent to my joining the Board, and though, when the company was formed, I asked permission, I considered my doing so was a more formality, since the Government already knew and approved of it. It has, indeed, been stated in some of the New Zealand papers that the Government consented to my joining the Board, and, as far as I am aware, the statement was not contradicted. I was therefore quite unprepared to receive the intimation to which I have referred. I should like to have your views when you would like me to retire. I have, &c, The Directors, New Zealand Agricultural Company (Limited). Julius Vogel.

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