H.—s

36

ment. Beyond this, it is the opinion of the Government that nothing more need be done in this matter for a few years, save that it is determined not to remove any bush or trees on or towards the tops of hills or ranges ; neither should any trees or scrub, or indeed vegetation of any kind, be disturbed within a distance of some four and a half to five miles of the summit of Mount Egmont. I have, &c, Fredk. A. Carrington, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. P.S. —On the Bth instant I telegraphed to you that the Deputy Superintendent had reported on the conservation of Taranaki forest on 23rd February, 1869.

Past I.

Reports, 1874 Taranaki.

See Analysis, pages 14 and 15,

III.—PROPOSED FOREST SETTLEMENTS. The Hon. J. Vogel to His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 2nd February, 1874. In accordance with my verbal promise to your Honor, I now send you copy of a memorandum concerning a special settlement proposed to be established in Westland. The memorandum gives the bare outline of the plan discussed between the Superintendent of Westland and myself. As I understand your Honor seriously contemplates the establishment of special settlements, I will add a few words in addition to the memorandum, as in its present state it is, as I have said, a mere outline. I think it very desirable that in parts of the country thinly settled, or in which the settlement is practically not to any extent commenced, encouragement should be given to settlement in a concentrated form by the establishment of special settlements. Supposing immigrants to mainly constitute these settlements, I am of opinion that the Immigration Department is justified in rendering assistance. The vote taken for immigration is for " location " as well as for " introduction; " besides that there are various provisions in the Public Works and Immigration Acts which evidence the approval of Parliament to what has always been regarded by me as a part of the immigration and public works policy—the promotion of settlement. That special settlements, with the exception of the Scandinavian and Colonel Feilding's, have not been more actively promoted, is to be attributed to the very great demand in the settled districts for the immigrants who have already arrived. The time will shortly come when employment may not be so immediately and so generally available to newly-arrived immigrants, and it will be important to have special settlements in course of formation ready at once to receive them. Families of immigrants will, for many reasons, be most suitable for special settlements, and these will precisely be the immigrants who will first feel any slackness in the labour market. Without, therefore, laying down any rule against specially recruiting in the United Kingdom for immigrants for the purpose of the settlements, I am inclined to think that very desirable settlers may, with advantage to all concerned, be obtained by allowing immigrants who arrive in all parts of the Colony, to volunteer for such settlements should they wish to do so after perusing the regulations and conditions on which they are founded. A great advantage gained by this course will be that it will avoid the risk of the settlements in their earlier stages being overcrowded. I am of opinion that the first success of a new settlement will much depend upon its preparedness to meet the purpose for which it is designed. By sending a few settlers to prepare in anticipation for others, and to make these additions pave the way to further additions, is to adopt a plan most likely to satisfy the settlers in the early days of their adventure. The success of special settlements will very much depend on there being some means of employment open to the settlers during the first two years. If such employment be available, there is no reason why the settlers should not pay, at convenient periods, a fair value for the land they are to acquire. In recognition of these principles, I shall not be averse to considering plans for special settlements in which it will be necessary to advance some money for the employment of the settlers on useful works, to be recouped out of receipts from the settlement to be secured to the Department. The formation of roads obviously suggests itself as the description of work on which the settlers might be employed, and the sale of the land as the source of recoupment of the advances; but Ido not expressly name these, because lam in hopes that some effort will be made to establish forest settlements in which the settlers would have employment offered to them to utilize the timber, the returns from which would serve as a means of repayment for advances, in addition, if necessary, to receipts from the land when cleared. The plan discussed with the Superintendent of Westland, of which the memo, herewith forwarded is an outline, contemplated a combination of an ordinary special settlement with a forest settlement. I adopt the phrase as a convenient one. I ask your Honor's consideration for a settlement of this mixed character, or for one in

Proposed Forest Settlements.