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that those having means sufficient for the payment of their passages should no longer be allowed to escape. The instructions given to me I am bound to carry out; and as I see the apathy and disregard with which many treat my communications and demands, I can have no compunction in proceeding against them according to law. It will be for the Government to judge, whether in the case of a few who absolutely refuse to pay, and whose personal effects are not of sufficient value to cover the debt, a term of imprisonment may not be necessary, as an example to others of similar views. Allow me to state to your Honor here, a wide-spread fallacy that prevails among Immigrants, particularly those who came to the colony four or five years ago. When asked for their passage money, they meet me with the remark that the Emigration Agent at home told them that they would be three years in the colony before any demand would be made, and that they would be allowed some years longer to pay the whole amount due by them. I find no such conditions in the lists furnished by the British Agents. The conditions there expressed are, that in the case of single men and single women, twelve months from the date of sailing of the ship are allowed for payment; and in the case of men with families, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months are allowed, according to the amount due by them; and in no case can I find the term extended further than 36 months, it being clearly understood that a certain instalment was to be paid at the end of each such term.

The following is the present state of the Immigration Fund:—The amount due by Immigrants, according to the time allowed by the British Agents for payment is £39,980 10s. 9d. The total amount collected during the six months ending 31st March, 1862, is, as already stated, £4,457 18s 5d., which is at the rate of £9,000 per annum, and gives a percentage of 11 3/4 on the amount due.

I have to report to your Honor that I intend leaving for the country districts in pursuit of this week to collect Immigrants’ Bills.

I need not state that no efforts will be wanting on my part to reduce the debt for Immigration. The difficulties I have to contend with in prosecuting my duties are numerous, and I beg respectfully to solicit your Honor’s indulgence for any shortcomings in the past, in consideration of my limited experience in the duties I have undertaken.

I have, &c.,

COLIN ALLAN,
Immigration Agent.

To His Honor the Superintendent, Otago.

HARBOUR REPORT.

Harbour Office,
Port Chalmers, 5th April, 1863.

Sir,—I have the honor to lay before you the following report relative to the requirements of the harbours, rivers, and roadsteads in the Province of Otago.

At Oamaru the moorings have not been completed for want of a proper iron buoy, which I have just now received from Melbourne. I will take the first opportunity to have it attached to the cable at present lying there, and as Oamaru is now a port of entry, and is visited by vessels direct from the neighbouring colonies, I beg leave to suggest to your Honor that a Beach Master should be appointed, who would also act as Pilot, and that a signal station should be established, of which he would have the charge.

Moeraki being the central and the safest roadstead on our Northern Coast, and likely to become the Port of the Manuherikihi and Shag Valley districts, I would humbly suggest that a Jetty should be erected in the best Boat Harbour that would admit of the “Geelong” going alongside; the destruction of property landing and shipping by boat is so very considerable, that wherever it is practicable and there is traffic to warrant it (which it does in this case), jetty accommodation should be afforded.

At Waikouaiti the traffic is considerable and increasing; having a river, it could be made available for small vessels, and possibly the “Geelong,” if instead of a jetty in the bay, which was at one time spoken of, the entrance of the river be narrowed by breakwaters on either side, thereby throwing the whole force of tide into a narrow channel of say (60) sixty feet, which would result in it being scoured to a depth that would admit of vessels drawing (6) six feet water, assuming that the rock on which the present bed of sand is deposited is not too near the surface. There are several small rocks that lie much in the way, a short distance inside of the bar, dry at low water, that should be removed for the safety of the small craft that at present enter the river; a small jetty in the river should also be erected to facilitate the landing and shipping of cargo.

Coming to Otago Harbour, I earnestly trust that your Honor will not allow another session of the Council to close without a sum being placed on the estimates for the erection of a proper light-house on Tairoa’s Head; and that your Honor may be pleased to cause immediate steps to be taken for the works being proceeded with. Seeing that the amount of shipping now visiting our shores has greatly increased, further neglect in this matter