COUNCIL PAPERS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1176, 15 May 1874, Page 4

COUNCIL PAPERS.

The following correspondence relating to the Provincial loan has been laid upon the Council table: — His Honor the Superintendent of Nelson to the Hon. Colonial Secretary. Sir —I have the honor to request the attention of the Government to the difficulty in which "the Provincial Government will be placed in the absence of sufficient funds to carry out the scheme of special settlements, so as to make it available for the location of a portion of the immigrants who may be expected to arrive within a few months from this date. I trust therefore for the assistance of the General Government to enable me to make the four blocks of land which have been set aside for special settlement available, without delay, for the purposes of settlement by means of continuing the existing dray-road further down the Bidler Valley. These blocks are situated on four tributaries of the Buller, namely, the Owen, the Matiri, the Matakitaki, and the Maruia: and the road requires to be continued from the Devil's Grip to Hampden and the Maruia, between which points only a pack track exists, and immigrants, with their families and goods, could only be conveyed to their locations with much expense and difficulty, while they would afterwards be subjected to heavy charges for carriage of supplies.

The Provincial Government is without funds to construct this road, which is absolutely necessary to the location of immigrants upon land under the special settlements scheme. Under the circumstances, I hope the General Government will see their way to assist the province by an advance of the sum of £12,000, to continue the dray-road from its present termination near the Devil's Grip to the Owen, where the nearest block is situated ; and, also, the further sum of £SOOO to connect the four intended settlements by carrying on the road from the Owen to Hampden and Maruia. I propose that the £12,000 should be repaid by the province at the expiration of twelve months from the date of advance. With respect to the £SOOO, I hope the Government will continue to contribute that sum, from the funds available for immigration purposes, on receiving an undertaking from the province to refund the money in twelve months in case the special settlements should not be formed. I have, etc., Oswald Curtis, Superintendent.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to his Honor the Superintendent of Nelson. Sir —Referring to your letter of the 21st ultimo, I have the honor to inform you that the Cabinet have agreed to advance the sum of .£20,000 to your Honor, for the purposes, and on the terms, mentioned in your letter. The Treasury will arrange the details as to mode of payment with your Honor, making the payments direct on vouchers approved by you and certified by the Provincial Engineer, to whom also, advances can, if necessary, be made. The Government accept your Honor's letter of February 21 as a formal undertaking on the part of the province to fulfil the conditions in repect of the several sums of £12,000 and £BOOO respectively, which arc stated therein, and to apply tho money to the purposes for which it is to be advanced. I have, &c., Daniel Pollen.