D.—2.

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honorable Executive Council may seem meet, or that you will, if thought fit, cause your petitioners' case to be brought before the Parliament of New Zealand. And your petitioners will ever pray, Ac, John Outeed, and 9 others.

Enclosure 2 in No. 48. His Honor the Supeeintendent, Otago, to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, Bth April, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 12th March, with enclosures, in re passengers' luggage ex " Surat," and to inform you in reply that, after a good deal of negotiation with the salvors, they have at length consented to accept of £350 in full of all demands in respect of luggage recovered to date. With regard to luggage still to be recovered, of which it appears doubtful if there will be much if any, they stipulate for being paid salvage at the rate of twenty shillings per package. Considering the great cost which has been incurred by the salvors, I am disposed to think the arrangement is not unreasonable. I have, Ac, J. Macandeew, The Hon. Julius Vogel, Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure 3 in No. 48. The Hon. J. Vogel to His Honor the Supeeintendent, Otago. Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 16th April, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge tho receipt of your letter of the Bth instant, with respect to luggage of passengers per " Surat." I thank you for the trouble you have taken, and am satisfied with the arrangements you have made. I have, Ac, His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. Julius A togel.

Enclosure 4 in No. 48. The Immigeation Offices, Dunedin, to the Undee Seceetaey for Immigeation. Sib, — Immigration Office, Dunedin, 6th May, 1874. The ship " Surat," with Government immigrants numbering 268 souls, being equal to 223 statute adults, was wrecked at Catlin's River on the Ist January ult. The immigrants were rescued in the ship's boats, and took shelter for two nights in the huts occupied by the hands working at the saw-mills, by whom they were well treated. Captain Thomson and myself left on board the s.s. " Vire" on the 2nd January, to bring the immigrants to Dunedin, and after much trouble and anxiety they were all safely transferred to the steamer without any casualty. We arrived in Dunedin on 4th January, where ample provision was made by His Honor the Superintendent to add to the comfort of the shipwrecked people. The Government ordered the Provincial Storekeeper and myself to provide a full suit of clothes and a pair of boots for men, women, and children, and also bedclothes and a mattress for each adult. They repeatedly expressed their gratitude to the Government for the kindness shown them in their distressed condition, having lost their all by the stranding of the ship. As the wreck was sold with all her cargo, including luggage, the immigrants, according to the view of the purchasers, were not entitled to anything recovered from the w-reck. After some considerable negotiations the Government bought the luggage recovered, and handed it over to the owners. By order of the Court of Inquiry held at Dunedin about the wreck, the surgeon-superintendent, Dr. Tighe, and the purser, both of whom exerted themselves to save life, and who performed their respective duties very satisfactorily on the voyage, were paid their gratuities. I have, Ac, Colin Allan, The Under Secretary for Immigration, Wellington. Immigration Officer,

No. 49. The Hon. J. Vogel to the Agent-Geneeal. (No. 142.) Sic, — Immigration Office, Wellington, Ist June, 1874. Referring to my letter No. 61, of 14th March, I have the honor to forward herewith copies of the report of the Royal Commission upon the s.s. " Mongol," with the evidence taken, and of other documents in connection therewith. 1. As the circumstances under which the ship "Scimitar" was despatched were almost identical with those of the " Mongol," I defer making any remarks upon the present report until I receive that upon the " Scimitar," which has been unavoidably delayed owing to the illness of one of the Commissioners.