D.—4

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Enclosure 3 in No. 23. The Agent-General to the Chairman, Shaw-Savill-Albion Company Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., sth December, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, in which you inform me that, under the circumstances mentioned by you, and not having been able to induce the New Zealand Shipping Company to enter into an arrangement between the two companies, you are prepared to accept, until the next session of the General Assembly, a continuance of the present position of the Government service as between the two companies. I have received a communication to the same effect from the New Zealand Shipping Company I think that, having regard to the different views of the question apparently taken by the two companies, the decision to which they have independently come is the best, and it will give me pleasure to continue the existing arrangements accordingly until the next session. I entirely recognize the correctness of your statement that your company have never hesitated to meet my requirements in the past, and I feel sure that similar good relations between this office and yours will be maintained in the future. I have, &c, The Chairman, Shaw-Savill-Albion Company F D. Bell.

Enclosure 4 in No. 23. The Agent-General to the Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., sth December, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, informing me that the New Zealand Shipping Company are prepared to continue, for the present, the arrangement relating to Government emigrants and freight under which you have worked with my department during the past few months and since the establishment of your monthly direct steam line. I have received a communication to the same effect from the Shaw-Savill-Albion Company I think that, under all the circumstances, and having regard to the different views of the question apparently taken by the two companies, the decision to which they have independently come is the best, and it will give me pleasure to continue the existing arrangements accordingly until the next session of the General Assembly I am glad to recognize the friendly relations under which the Government shipping business has been carried on between this office and yours in the past, and feel sure that they will be maintained in the future. I have, &c, The Chairman, New Zealand Shipping Company F D. Bell.

No. 24, The Hon. the Minister of Immigration to the Agent-General. Sir, — Immigration Department, Wellington, 6th December, 1883. The accompanying copy of a communication which has been received from the Secretary of the New Zealand Shipping Company, relative to a cable-message published in the colonial newspapers as to the division of the trade to the colony between the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Shaw-Savill-Albion Company, is forwarded for the information of the Agent-General, A copy of the reply is also attached. I have, &c., W Eolleston, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. Minister of Immigration,

Enclosure 1 m No. 24. The Secretary, N.Z Shipping Company to-the Under-Secretary, Immigration Department, Wellington. Sir, — N.Z. Shipping Company (Limited), Christchurch, 27th November, 1883. I am instructed by the board of directors of this company to direct your attention to the following cable-message to the Press Association, which appeared in the Christchurch newspapers on the 24th instant "London, 22nd November.—Sir Francis Dillon Bell suggests that the New Zealand Shipping and Shaw-Savill-Albion Companies should continue the existing division of trade to the colony until next session of Parliament," and to respectfully ask you for an explanaation of that communication, which, it appears to us, does not accord with the terms of the resolution contained in the report of the Select Committee appointed last session to consider the question of a direct steam service, and which report was adopted by Parliament. I have, &c, Isaac Gibbs, H. J H. Eliott, Esq., Under-Secretary, Immigration Secretary Department, Wellington.

Enclosure 2 m No 24. The Under-Secretary, Immigration Department, Wellington, to the Secretary, New Zealand Shipping Company Sir, — Immigration Office, Wellington, 6th December, 1883. I have the honour, by direction of Mr Eolleston, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, directing my attention to a cable message which had appeared in the