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reply, not only very flippant, but either it was untruthful or Mr. Ottywell must take very little interest in the affairs of the Colony not to know something about the new Governor." I beg to submit the following observations in explanation of the circumstances under which the letters referred to were written. They will, I cannot doubt, be deemed to furnish a complete justification of the course adopted by me. 1. Early in March, 1873, Mr. George Vesey Stewart, of Lisbeg House, Ballygawley, Ireland, who was at that time known to the office as a local agent authorized to act in the introduction of emigrants, wrote to the Agent-General, inquiring what inducements the Government of New Zealand would offer to him to emigrate to the Colony. 2. Dr. Featherston, in reply, asked what inducements he required; and 3. On the 7th March, Mr. Stewart wrote as follows : — " Sir, —Your favour of the 4th to hand. I beg to acknowledge receipt of the printed forms for assisted passages, for which I feel obliged. " The encouragement I would require to seriously entertain the idea of moving to New Zealand would be a free grant of a considerable portion of good land, near a good road or railway, say 2,000 acres, and I would be willing to bind myself to reclaim a limited quantity each year, as I can bring out capital, and am accustomed to agricultural pursuits." " Your obedient servant, " Geo. Vesey Stewart. " Could you kindly inform me who is Sir Jas. Fergusson, the newly-appointed Governor of New Zealand, and state whether he is an Irishman or Englishman, and where he has been resident ?" 4. The letter was forwarded to the Agent-General at Bayswater, and it was returned indorsed with an instruction to me to intimate to Mr. Stewart that it was improbable the Government would grant inducements to him to emigrate; the memorandum concluding thus:—" On application, Sir J. Fergusson would or would not answer his queries.—Signed I. E. F." 5. On the 12th March, a reply was sent to Mr. Stewart, in the following words :— " Sir, —Your letter of 7th inst. was forwarded to the Agent-General, who is confined to his house by illness. " Dr. Featherston directs me to inform you that, in his opinion, there is no prospect of the New Zealand Government granting to you the inducements mentioned. Dr. Featherston is unable to give you the information you required respecting the newly-appointed Governor. On application, Sir James Fergusson might or might not be disposed to answer the queries. " I am, &c., " for I. E. Featherston, " G. Vesey Stewart, Esq." " A. O. Ottywell." I have only to remark, with reference to the letter written by me, that I conceived myself bound to carry out the instruction issued to me, and that it was my sincere desire to do so in the most courteous manner possible. 6. I notice, with great regret, the grave accusations which are brought against me in connection with this correspondence. I have served the Colony in various positions for upwards of fifteen years, and hitherto without reproach; aud it would be exceedingly painful to me to feel that I had occasion to reply to charges of " flippancy," " untruthfulness," or indifference to the interests of New Zealand. Albert O. Ottywell.

No. 91. The Agent-General to the Hon. J. Vogel. (No. 1192.) 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 17th April, 1874. Referring to your letter of the 11th February (No. 32), I beg to offer the following observations :— You will remember that I established the Dublin Agency in accordance with instructions from the Government; and although free to admit that the operations conducted by Mr. Mason have been as unsatisfactory to myself as to you, yet I hope to be able to show by returns which I shall shortly forward, that his efforts of late have been more successful. At the same time, I am of opinion, that large centres of population, like Dublin, are by no means the best stations for emigration agents. With regard to other agents in Ireland, you will already have been advised that I have appointed Mr. Cochrane, an old Auckland settler, as Agent at Belfast; and Mrs. Howard, who was strongly recommended to me from Otago, as Emigration Agent for the South of Ireland. I may add that Mr. Cochrane's appointment was made on the joint recommendation of Mr. James Williamson and Mr. Thomas Russell, both of Auckland. I think that when the returns, which are now in the hands of the printers, are forwarded to the Colony, you will find that a fair proportion of Irish emigrants has been secured. With regard to the Dublin Agency, I may state that I shall be quite prepared, in case the 9—l). 3.