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No. 11. His Honor W. Bolleston to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Christchurch, 28th June, 1873. Immigration.—lt is of great importance that some decision should be come to before the next mail leaves. The strong opinion of the Provincial Council, as expressed in their resolutions, will, I trust, excuse my urgency. As matters now stand, Canterbury has neither the privilege elsewhere accorded, of agent or agents in London with local knowledge, nor advantage of utilizing to the full its settlers here as nominators or selectors. Provincial Government feel bound to give effect to resolution enabling settlers to nominate persons for free passages, and wishes, in doing this, to consult convenience of General Government. Two members of my Executive proceed to Wellington on Monday by " Tararua," to confer with General Government with reference to this and other matters, and I shall be glad if you would give them an interview. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. W. Bolleston.

ft No. 12. Messrs. Kennaway and Beswick to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, 3rd July, 1873. Beferring to the interview which we had the honor of holding with Ministers yesterday, in which the question of immigration to the Province of Canterbury was discussed, and in accordance with the wish then expressed, we have the honor to communicate with you regarding the proposals which the Provincial Government of Canterbury have made in accordance with the resolutions of the Provincial Council, already forwarded to you by His Honor the Superintendent. We understand that the General Government are not prepared to meet out of the Immigration Loan the expenditure involved by the appointment of a Provincial Emigration Agent for the United Kingdom, but that, if the Provincial Government appoints and pays such an officer, the Agent-General will co-operate with him in sending emigrants to Canterbury. In making such an appointment, the Provincial Government would have in view the desirability of the Provincial Agent being able to grant such extra assistance, by means of Provincial funds, as he may deem requisite in particular cases. The General Government having already intimated that any recommendation of the Provincial Government as to the number and description of immigrants which it would be advisable to introduce into any Province would meet with their favourable consideration, it would appear that the duties of the Provincial Agent would be confined to the collection of the number and description thus agreed on, and to his supplementing the assistance given by the General Government in such cases as he may think necessary. As intimated to us at the interview with Ministers yesterday, we understand that subsequent to your telegram of June 20th, the question as to whether the system of free passages shall not be extended to nominated immigrants has been reopened, and will be again considered by the General Government. The Provincial Government, when making the proposal contained in His Honor the Superintendent's telegram of the 26th ult., did so with the understanding that, as stated in the Hon. Mr. O'Borke's memorandum, addressed to His Honor the Superintendent, of April 22nd last, free passages were being offered to emigrants by the Agent-General, and that the General Government's decision as regards nominated emigrants, conveyed in your telegram of the 20th ult., was final. It will therefore be understood that the Provincial Government, on their part, hold themselves free to reconsider their decisions, in case any alteration has been made in either of these points. Pending the final decision of the General Government, we desire to give some further information on some points which were raised at the interview of yesterday relative to this proposal. It will be seen by reference to His Honor the Superintendent's telegram of June 26th, that the Provincial Government submitted for the consideration of the General Government alternative proposals as to the mode in which their decision to grant free passages to nominated immigrants might he carried into effect. In the first place, the Provincial Government asked that authority be given to the Immigration Officer at Christchurch to make such arrangements as would most readily meet their views. As was pointed out yesterday, it is obvious that some restrictions and limit must be placed on the number and description of such immigrants; and it is chiefly on that account, in addition to their wish to act in co-operation with the General Government, that the Provincial Government, in dealing with the matter, desire to avail themselves of the machinery already established in the Province of Canterbury for the purpose of immigration. We understand that the General Government give free passages to single females nominated in the Province, so that the extra assistance given by the Provincial Government would be confined to married couples and single men. If extra aid is therefore given through the Immigration Office, the Provincial Government would propose that it should be only finally granted to persons approved of by the Agent-General or the Provincial Agent, under similar conditions as regards character, health, a^e, and so forth, as may from time to time be in force as regards assisted or free passages granted direct by the A gent-General. Again, with reference to the construction that should be put on the term " nominated immigrants." We understand that under the present system it includes both those nominated by name and those nominated by persons who merely specify the vocation of those whom they wish to bring out. The Provincial Government, in taking any steps in the direction they have indicated, do not desire to disturb this classification, and would therefore be prepared, within certain limits, to extend the benefit of extra aid to both classes, giving, as far as possible, preference to those nominated by name.

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