D.—4a

6

I shall be glad if you will favour me with your views as to the possibility of encouraging the emigration of small tenant-farmers with limited capital. You will, no doubt, have given in the " Hand Book" you are now preparing full information as to the change in the land law of the colony in respect of leasing of rural lands. This change it seems to me may afford great facilities to persons of the small-farmer class. I forward herewith particulars as to the action which has been taken under the Land Act of last session towards leasing lands, and also as to what has been done * in the same direction under the West Coast Settlements Act. I have, &c, The Agent-General, London. Wm. Bolleston.

No. 6. The Hon. the Minister of Immigeation to the Agent-General. Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 19th May, 1883. I have the honour to forward herewith copies of the reports of the Immigration Commissioners and the Immigration Officer at this port upon the steamer " British Queen," which arrived here on the 13th instant. These reports contain all the particulars which you would wish to know with regard to the vessel and the immigrants. I forward also for your information copy of the diary of the surgeon-superintendent, which of course will be deemed a confidential document. The experience of this vessel and that of the " Westmeath " will no doubt lead to improvements in the arrangements for the despatch of immigrants by steamships, both in respect to the transhipment of the passengers for other ports than that at which the vessel arrives, and also as to the admission of steerage passengers in the same compartments as the Government immigrants. Other minor matters which are referred to in the reports will no doubt receive your attention. I am strongly impressed with the necessity of securing the very best class of surgeons accustomed to long voyages in charge of numbers of people. You will gather from the reports how much of the successful issue of the voyage of the " British Queen " is due to the experience and judgment of Dr. Hasard. The management of the matron, Miss Buthven, also is deserving of great praise. It is needless to observe that the experience of short voyages between the United Kingdom and America would not be a fair basis on which to regulate the discipline of a long voyage. lam therefore of opinion that the precautions taken by the department on shore, and the surgeon on board, in the direction of strict management, were no more than were actually requisite. I mention this because I have gathered that in some quarters the precautions taken were considered unnecessarily severe. When the steam service is regularly established it will, I hope, be possible so to arrange that no steerage passengers other than those who are amenable to the Government regulations should bo berthed in the same compartment. I may call your special attention to the fact that, on the " British Queen " calling at the Cape, the private steerage passengers insisted in going on shore, and this notwithstanding the town has only recently been a port infected with small-pox. Cheese factories are about to be established in many districts of the colony, and the want of competent managers is seriously felt. It is desirable that some should be induced to come to the colony as spedily as possible, and I have therefore to request that you direct your attention to this matter with a view to meet the want required by this important industry. It is difficult for one to give any precise instructions, and the arrangement must therefore be left very much to yourself. In my letter No. 50, dated the 24th March last, I mentioned that the Government were anxious to obtain your views as to the best method of promoting emigration of families of the small-farmer class, with sufficient capital to enable them to take up and work land under the leasing clauses of the Act of last session. The Government authorize you to give facilities by way of reduced passages to persons of this class to the extent that is allowed ordinary immigrants. It is obvious that this proposal, being of an experimental character, would involve the exercise of very large discretion on your part, which could not be guided by any precise directions from the colony. I have, &c, Wm. Bolleston, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Minister of Immigration.

No. 7. The Under-SeCeetary, Immigration, to the Agent-General. (Memorandum.) Wellington, 15th June, 1883. Herewith is forwarded, for the information of the Agent-General, the report of the Immigration Commissioners at Dunedin on the ship " Caroline," which arrived on the 23rd May with Government immigrants, H. J. H. Eliott, Under-Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 7. The Immigration Cqmmissionebs to the Hon. the Minister of Immigration. Sib,— Dunedin, 28th May, 1883. The ship "-Caroline" arrived with immigrants from Glasgow on the 23rd instant, having made a passage from port to port of ninety-two days.

* See advertisements in New Zealand Gazette of 22nd March, 1883, and New Zealand newspapers to 23rd April) 1883 ; also New Zealand Gazette No. 37, of the 3rd May, 1883, and New Zealand newspapers to 28th May, 1883,