IMMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND. (FURTHER LETTERS FROM THE AGENT-GENERAL.) In continuation of Papers laid upon the Table 26th July, 1878.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1878 Session I, D-02a

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1878. NEW ZEALAND. IMMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND. (FURTHER LETTERS FROM THE AGENT-GENERAL.) In continuation of Papers laid upon the Table 26th July, 1878.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. s __ 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 17th June, 1878. ' ' I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 26th April, No. 83, referring to the omission in your letter relating to the direct steam service for New Zealand, to point out the existing facilities for travellers in moving from one part of the colony to another, and to the Australian Colonies. ; ~, ~ •, , • -i • iaa This subject shall receive consideration in connection with the proposals contained in your letter of the 16th April last, No. 75. I have,^ The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. A gent-General.

No. 2. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigeation. o __ 7 Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 17th June, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 16th April, No. 75 on the subject of a steam service from Europe to New Zealand, and to inform you that the matter shall have my careful mygelf in communication with Mr. Galbraith, and will see other persons on tho s^^ t: nformed a few weekg gince by Mr . Larnach, that Messrs. Green were prepared to carry out our emigrants by steam. I had, however, previously received from you an intimation that a contract was entered into with the New Zealand Shipping Company, and therefore I was not at liberty to entertain other proposals for the carriage of the emigrants during the present season. Mr. Larnach, however telegranhed to you on the subject, and showed me the telegram. Erom your letter now under reply, I gather that what you require is a regular line of steamers, not merely the temporary employment of one or two. I also gather from your letter that, if a satisfactory arrangement can be made, six months' notice to dissolve the contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company can be given. I will use my best exertions to grve efiect to your wishes. I recognize the immense value to New Zealand of a direct line of steamers, and I quite agree with you that the value of the Pacific service has been much impaired by its ceasing to do more than merely call at Auckland en route to Australia. As a mail lino it is excellent, but it has lost its character as a New Zealand service. I bave, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General. P S —Since the above was written I have agreed with Mr. Larnach to jointly have an interview with Mr'. Green on the subject. lam glad to find that Mr. Larnach is sanguine that some arrangement can be made.

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No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7. Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 20th June, 187 S. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 21th April, No. 78, regarding the proposed bonus on sugar manufacture in New Zealand. I subjoin aEeuter's telegram which appeared in all the papers to-day throughout this country, by which you will see the most extensive publicity has been given to the notice. As a result, inquiries have already been made on behalf of tho Mr. Duncan mentioned in your letter, and I have expressed my desire to have an interview with him. I will use my best exertions in the direction you desire, but I venture to express the opinion that,, unless the terms can be modified, I shall not meet with much success. The terms as they are set down would give no assurance to any one embarking in the enterprise that some one might not forestal him in obtaining the Government premium, since whoever first produced the 500 tons would be entitled tothe reward. If you were in a position to insure any one who agreed to procure the plant, and go to the necessary expense, that he would have a reasonable time to carry out the undertaking, and, subject to his being able to produce the required amount in a given time, be secure of the bonus, he would have something tangible to go on. The information you afford about the growth of beet-root is not sufficient to attract capitalists. They would require not only to know that beet-root will grow, but also the cost of producing it. Supposing even they were content to form their own estimate on this head, they would, at any rate, require information as to the amount of saccharine matter contained in the beet. Experience shows that this varies much, and lam mistaken if it is not a point to which much importance is attached. If you can furnish some reliable analyses you might much assist the negotiation. In the meanwhile I will do all I can. I may venture to call your attention to the papers on the subject of beet-root presented to the New Zealand Assembly in 1876. I studied the subject very attentively for many months, and in those papers appeared the result of my investigations. The greatest inducement to persons proposing to manufacture beet-root sugar would be the assurance that no excise duty would be levied for a reasonable period. Let me earnestly ask why such an assurance could not bo given. I am certain, if the industry were started, no one would think of hampering it with an excise duty for a long while, any more than has been done with ale, or wine, or tobacco, in New- Zealand and the other colonies. The assurance would be invaluable as a security, whilst really it would amount to nothing more than guaranteeing that which, without the assurance, would inevitably be the case. I think a compan) r might be content with the assurance that an excise duty will not be imposed for, say, ten years, unless within that time the profits average, for three years, 10 per cent. This would still make the security imperfect, because the Legislature could reduce the import duty; but the company might bo induced to run that risk. I have, Ac., Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.

Auckland, New Zealand, May 28, (via San Erancisco). The New Zealand Government has advised Sir Julius Vogel, the A gent-General in London, that it is prepared to give a bonus of £5,000 for the first 500 tons of beet-root sugar produced in the North Island, and a similar bonus for the same quantity produced in the Middle Island.

No. 4. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Minister for Immigeation. Sic,- —■ 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 20th June, 1878. Referring to your letter No. 65, of the sth April last, I have the honor to transmit copies of letters which have passed between the Albion Shipping Company and myself on the subject of their tender for shipping from the Clyde. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 4. The Agent-Geneeal to the Managing Director, Albion Shipping Company. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, S.W., 14th June, 1878. I have the honor to inform you that the Government of New Zealand are prepared to accept, your tender for shipping, subject to the condition that, should they arrange for the carriage o£ emigrants by steamers, they may, by four months' notice, dissolve the contract with you. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Managing Director, Albion Shipping Company. Agent-General.

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Enclosure 2 in No. -4. The Agent-General to the Managing Dieector, Albion Shipping Company. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, S.W., 18th June, 1878. Referring to my letter of 11th instant, respecting your tender for the conveyance of emigrants to New Zealand, I desire to add that I shall require one direct ship to the Bluff at tho same rate of passage as is paid in the case of the ships taking emigrants to Port Chalmers. As to the date of sailing of such vessel, I would endeavour to meet your convenience in the matter, but I should wish it to be despatched some time in September or early in October. I am also anxious to make some arrangement by wrhich emigrants could be landed at Oamaru, and shall be glad to have your views on the matter. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, Tho Managing Director, Albion Shipping Company. Agent-General.

Enclosure 3 in No. 4. Erom the Secretary, Albion Shipping Company, to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — 15, St. Vincent Place, Glasgow, 19th June, 1878. I have to acknowledge receipt of your favour of yesterday, relative to emigrant ships for Bluff Harbour and Oamaru. Tho managing director of this company is at present in the Highlands. but is expected home in a few days, when your letter will be laid before him. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, J. Galloway, 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W. Secretary. By Authority : Geoeq-e Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7B. Price 3d.]