8.—6

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rice, rubber, tobacco, indigo, spices, and other tropical products would be brought here at low freights and direct trade be induced. In support of this contention I would point out that at present it pays the Union Steamship Company, in conjunction with the British India Steam Navigation Company, to send a large cargo-steamer down to New Zealand at irregular intervals (about once every two months), with heavy cargoes, but they are of little service as regards passenger-traffic. The Indian tourist, as a rule, has plenty of money to spend, and would thoroughly appreciate our climate, which is not so rigorous as that of England. The suggested service would bring us into direct touch with a large portion of a densely-populated part of the globe, and be a valuable and progressive step on the part of the Indian and Australasian Governments. I have no hesitation in saying that New Zealand would be benefited, for there are great possibilities by going off the beaten track and entering commercial regions, which, properly exploited, may result in opening up fresh markets for our produce. I feel quite sure these suggestions are practicable, and every attempt should be made to carry them to a successful issue. BUSINESS AGENTS FOE THE COLONY. During my visit to the Mother-country and to Australia I was very much struck with the utter absence of information respecting New Zealand, its scenery, resources, and products, and the misapprehension in respect to its legislation, and the ignorance of its affairs generally. We are annually subscribing large sums of money for the printing of books, leaflets, and illustrations ; and from time to time attacks are made upon the finances and products of the colony, and misleading information is given, which prevents tourists from visiting this wonderland of the South. Mot only past Agents-General did their best for the colony, but the present Agent-General is doing good work in the direction of advertising New Zealand; yet it is impossible for him alone to grapple with the difficulties that surround the position. After careful inquiry, I have come to the conclusion that the time has arrived when this colony should have in the large cities agents who would work under and with the Agent-General in London, Their work would be to distribute papers, books, illustrations, and general information respecting New Zealand, and to further the introduction of the products of the colony into the districts assigned to them. They would also be able to give information to intending immigrants, particularly of the farming class, regarding the area of land open for settlement, the price of land, together with its suitability for horticulture, viticulture, stock-raising, and dairying. Such agencies would, in my opinion, be the means of inducing people to come here instead of going to Canada, the United States, and Australia. These agents would also be able to give reliable information to British capitalists regarding the colony. The emoluments for such positions would not amount to much. Leading business-men would be glad to have the agency, because it would be the means of giving them a status. I may say that, in connection with the Postal Service, the colony has such an agent in San Francisco, who is doing excellent work for a very limited salary. The course now suggested would, if adopted, bring us into close touch with such cities as Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Cardiff. Later on it might be found necessary to extend the agency system to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth in connection with the interchange of products. EDUCATION. Under the present conditions of education there is a serious defect. Sufficient encouragement is not given in our existing institutions for the primary-school pupils who are desirous and capable of enjoying the advantages of secondary and university education. A Bill will be submitted to you to establish and endow a university college in the City of Wellington, and the proposals therein contained will afford a satisfactory solution of the difficulties existing in the districts which will be benefited by this central college. The scholarships pro-