D.—s.

52

these, which are either the property of the General Government or which you will be willing at once to convey to the General Government. Please reply. His Honor J. Macandrew, Dunedin. Julius Vogel. Dunedin, 25th March, 1874. Immigrant Depots. Of course where sites do not vest in General Government already, they will bo conveyed to the Queen at once. The Hon. J. Vogel, Wellington. J. Macandrew.

No. 154. Telegrams between the Hon. the Minister for Immigration and His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. Wellington, 28th March, 1874. Sir F. D. Bell telegraphs that there is urgent necessity for erecting a rough shed at Bluff quarantine station. He states that if the " Davie " should arrive with sick on board, the present accommodation would not be sufficient for women and children, including, I presume, the sick. Will your Honor at once take steps in the matter, if you consider they are necessary. I append Sir F. D. Bell's telegram. His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. Julius Vogel. Dunedin, 30th March, 1874. Impossible to erect suitable buildings at Bluff in time for " William Davie." Would suggest that Customs boarding officers be instructed, in the event of infectious disease being on board, to direct ship to proceed to Port Chalmers to be quarantined. The Hon. J. Vogel, Wellington. J. Macandrew. Wellington, 31st March, 1874. Be Quarantine at Bluff. If the course your Honor recommends be adopted, it will be necessary to rescind proclamation for quarantine at Bluff, and to make Port Chalmers quarantine the quarantine for the whole Province. This will give rise to great dissatisfaction, and be very hard upon the vessel. Supposing, for example, some temporary cause for quarantining, the ship would have to proceed to Port Chalmers with all passengers, and probably great amount of goods, for Bluff. There is no knowing how owners would be affected as regards insurances. I will adopt this course if you wish it; but it seems to me preferable to make great exertions to have sufficient accommodation, even of the roughest kind, erected in time for arrival of vessel. She cannot well arrive in less than a fortnight. lam sure it would pay the vessel better, if quarantine buildings not quite completed, to keep passengers on board a few days, and help in finishing buildings, than if she were forced to proceed to Port Chalmers. Howover, I shall be guided by your Honor's wishes. If you agree with me about erection of shed, I authorize you to take steps immediately for its erection; but it should not be an expensive building. His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. Julius Vogel. DunediD, lst April, 1874. Have put quarantine barracks at Bluff in hand, to hold 150. With present rate of wages, work will be expensive ;it is, in fact, difficult to get workmen at any price. Have ordered the regular men in employment of Government to leave their other work to press this on. Will be done much cheaper and quicker than by contract, under direction of one of our smartest and best men. The Hon. J. Vogel, Wellington. J. Macandrew.

No. 155. Telegrams between the Hon. the Minister for Immigration and His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. Wellington, 26th March, 1874. A great many immigrants for New Zealand are now on the water, and many will no doubt arrive during the winter months. Are you confident of the ability of tho Provincial Government to give them occupation, should private work not offer, or would you like tho General Government to set apart some public work upon which immigrants might be employed if they could not get other work, but at somewhat less than the ordinary rate of wages offered by contractors ? Thus the Government, without competing with day labour, would provide for the necessities of those who might not be able to obtain other employment. I would move the Public Works Department to do this, unless you are satisfied you will be able to find occupation for any unemployed labourers. The question of houseroom is very important. Would it not be well to get a number of portable cottages made, that could be put up at a few hours' notice? I would forward you plans of two, three, and four-roomed cottages of the kind if you desire it. They might be erected in the neighbourhood of town, and iv different other parts of the Province, and be let to immigrants. lam aware your Honor, in conformity with my circular letter of 17th December, is moving in that direction, but would not portable cottages bo more convenient than rough huts ? It might also be desirable to put up some of these cottages by way of villages, upon points where public works are being constructed, say at the Waitaki, and on the line of the Dunedin and Moeraki Enilway. It appears to me that unless there is land available for immigrants in your Province, it might be desirable we should take under the Immigration Act one of the blocks that you propose for hundreds, and to throw it open to immigrants upon favourable terms. We would do this if you approved; and you might agree to accept as payment for the land the payments made by the immigrants. If it is true, as alleged, that there is not land for settlement to be obtained in Otago, something of the kind ought to be done, and I should be happy to receive a recommendation on tho subject from your Honor. His Honor the Superintendent, Otago. Julius Vogel.