The Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2659, 25 August 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1871.

Amongst the papers laid before both Houses of Parliament is one detailing the General Government “ correspoud- “ ence as to offers received from Eng- “ lish and other capitalists for survey “ and construction of railways." When it is considered that the construction of

the Clutha and Port Chalmers Railways could not be proceeded with for some fourjOV fi v&years, because of not being an offer that the could accept, *“■ made to the leHl. Government tend to shew the ,?uperibv Colonial to a Provincial guarantee, in the minds of capitalists outside the Colony. The first offer was made by Sir Charles Fox and Sons to the Hons. P, I).-Bell and J. E. Featherston, who proposed that one ’ of the partners should visit the Colony, accompanied by their chief assistant engineers, to organise surveys and report accurately the total cost of railways : the principal’s time to be paid for at the rate of £IOO per month, and the assistant engineer’s at £7O per month, and all expenccs. Or they would send a confidential engineer as agent at the x’jitc of £IOO a month and expenccs. If the Government accepted their services to supervise the construction of railways, they , offered tp undertake every duty, including agency, inspection of materials, and engagement of freight, at the rate of 5 per cent, on the cost of the railway, or £250 per mile for lines not shorter than 50 miles: or if the works were carried out departraentally on a commission of 6 per cent, on actual cost of the railway, or £3OO per mile for lines of similar length. In subsequent letters, it was intimated that Mr Brogden and Mr Brunlees—the latter the engineer of the Mont Cenis Railway—were prepared to co-operate with Messrs Fox and Son. The offer of Mr Brunlees was, on condition that the survey of the lines Was at once commenced and .carried on at the rate of not less than 200 miles a year, they should be made at the rate of £OS a mile. There were other conditions concerning alternative lines and payment; and lastly, that the engineering necessary to construction should be paid for at the rate of 5 per cent, on the cost of the works. Mr Brogden on his own responsibility, had made arrangements that a gentleman named Henderson, should have left England in January, to arrange for the surveys. He was, however, unable to leave on account of illness, and in February found it necessary to go over into Germany. In. the meantime Mr Yogel reached England, and Mr Brogden put himself into personal communication with him. Our telegram from Wellington a few days ago, intimated that that gentleman’s agent, and Mr Vogel Imtl rcaulieJ Now Zealand together. The next correspondence was commenced at an earlier date, and was between Captain Audley Coote and the Government. The first letter was under date, Tasmania, 27th August, stating that his attention had been attracted by a paragraph in the A mtrahisiau, respecting the loan.“to be “ granted for the construction of rail- “ ways in New Zealand,” and offering to raise the necessary capital to the amount of a million of money, on guaranteed Interest. This* offer was made on behalf’of English capitalists, and also of a registered company in London. This first letter was not sufficiently definite as to details, and on being asked for fuller information, the offer was made to “construct, “ maintain, and open for public traffic,” any railways in New Zealand on the Government guaranteeing 5i per cent, on the capital raised for a period of thirty-five years. Any nett profit above 7 percent., upon the capital expended, to be divided between the “ Company and the Government.” On receipt of that letter, Mr Gisborne wrote under date 30th December, inviting Captain Coote to New Zealand, and suiting that direct communication with capitalists at Home would bo suspended for one month, to give him opportunity of reaching Wellington. Captain Coote replied on the 14th January, that he only waited receipt of telegraphic dispatches, and that he could not reach Wellington earlier than February 15th, or later. It appears that Captain Coote did visit Wellington, for, on the 14th February, be addressed Mr Gisborne from thence, enclosing documents, and giving the names of the persons with whom he was associated. They were Captain Mangles, Rear-Admiral Oinmaney, Messes H. E. Kennedy (London), W. Hawes, George Coote, F, W. Fox (Bristol), H. J. Wyne, C-E., Darton and Co., and Edwin Fox. In reply, Mr Gisborne, on the IGth February, said that from the documents the Go- \ ernment could not perceive that Captain Coote was authorised to enter into a contract with the Government, and asked for a definite proposal to be transmitted to Mr Vogel, in London. Captain Coote then forwarded a letter, in which ho proposed the creation of a company, to be duly registered in London, and to be known as the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Now Zealand, or any other name the Government “ may wish,” with a capital of £2,000,000, or £2,500,000. He jointed out that he was confident “ no business” could result with his priuci-

pals through Mr Vogel’s agency, unless he himself were in London. The proposal was to construct 399| miles of railway in the North,.,and 550 h iij, th§, Middle :Islapd, 'rate of per mile.' Seveial otljer letters passe||, and wasjjot brcmg||( to a conclusion until' the 21st July; when the Government informed Captain Coote that arrangements had been made that-precluded" their entertaining; his proposals. Two other offers were received '> one from a Victorian Association, which was declined, and the other from Messrs Robinson and Janson, of Darlington, in Durham, England. Both had special reference to narrow guage railways. The latter was acknowledged under date May 15th/ and the matter was referred to Dr Featherston, Agent General for the Colony.