D.—l

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 21st August, 1879. I have the honor to inform you that the ship " Napier " arrived at Port Chalmers on the 4th instant, after a passage of eighty-eight days from port to port, with her immigrants all well. I enclose herewith the following documents: (1) Commissioner's report; (2) surgeolisupcriutendent's report, and other papers therein referred to; (3) certificates of births and deaths. You will observe from these reports that complaint is made as to the conduct of the singlemen saloon passengers, as well as against the private steerage passengers. With regard to the saloon passengers who came out in the " Napier," I presume they were required to sign the usual application to be allowed to sail iv a vessel carrying Government immigrants, in the terms of tho former which were transmitted with your letter of the 12th of August last,* and which were approved by the then Minister for Immigration. Complaints have been so frequently made as to the inconvenience and annoyance caused by single-men saloon passengers, that the greatest discretion should be exercised iv allowing that class of persons to come out with immigrants, and I would again impress upon you the necessity for making all reasonable inquiries respecting that class of passengers, and for insisting on the conditions specified in your letter No. 536, of the 30th June last. Dr. Russell's able remarks upon the subject arc worthy of the utmost attention, and I cannot do better than recommend them to your consideration as the experience of a gentleman who has too frequently been subjected to annoyance in the conscientious performance of his duties as surgeon-superintendent, by persons from whom better conduct should have been expected. You will observe that attention is drawn to the faulty medical inspection at the Clyde. This was also shown to be the case when the ship " Canterbury " was allowed to proceed on her voyage after having landed a man suffering from small-pox. In the case of the " Napier" you will observe that the only two cases of death were from phthisis. With regard to the conduct of the second officer, Mr. Lockhcad, I must request that you will not again permit him to proceed in any vessel carrying immigrants to this colony. You will be pleased to learn that on the whole the voyage was a pleasant one, and that the captain and surgeon-superintendent worked harmoniously together. You will also observe that Dr. Russell is recommended for further employment in the immigration service of the colony. I have, &c, W. Gisborne, The A gent-General for New Zealand, London. Minister for Immigration.

No. 2. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration to the Agent-General. Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 11th September, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th of July, No* 611, and to inform you that Mr. Clayden's services should be dispensed with when he has fulfilled the terms of the arrangements which he entered into before leaving the colony. I have, &c, W. GISBOR-XE, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Minister for Immigration.

* No. 8, D.-2, Sess. 1., 1879. I—D. 1.

1880. NEW ZEALAND. EMIGRATION TO NEW ZEALAND. (LETTERS TO THE AGENT-GENERAL.) [In continuation of D.-l, Sess. 11., 1879.]