In connection with immigration, the JN.Z. limes said, a few days since, that communications had been addressed from Ballarat to the Government, askino- if passages would be provided forsooo people from there. I have made inquiry and find that no such communication has'been received, so I suppose the Times got its news from some Australian paper. Once on a time the Otago Government deputed Mr Reynolds to go to Melbourne and he, with the conso-nt of the Victorian Government, aided about 600 people to get to Otago, and very valuable settlors they proved to be ;in fact, they were the pioneers of the party which has made Otago so progressive and prosper ous. No news yet of Mr Vogel's arrival in England, but I am glad to see that the Tribune says :" In connection with monetary matters, we may also state on the best authority, that the Premier will find no difficulty whatever in placino- his loan upon the English market on favor able terms." I, for one, never doubted -it. I judged he would get the money at about U /„, and every fact seems to con farm-that view. : ■ .. ■ I see ■ that: the rapid increase of the Customs revenue.is beginning to moder ate, and although last quarter shows an increase oi £12,000 over the, correspond ing quarter of 1873, there is a decrease at Auckland, Nelson, and Danedin. Stocks m bond are very large, especially of

I brandy, and 20,000 gallons of it are afloat ) lon their way here. >So it Would sKiem as ii: our merchants were somewhat over trading,- but I suppose the rapid increase ot population will, absorb the excessive stocks.
