B.—No. 3.

No. G. THE SUPERINTENDENT, NELSON, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Superintendent's Office, Nelson, July 12th, 1864. Sib,— I have the honor to enclose, for the consideration of His Excellency, a Bill passed by the Provincial Council in its present session, to authorise the raising a sum of £20,000 for the construction of Water-works to supply the Town of Nelson. This sum of £20,000 is a part of a Luan of £70,000 which His Excellency's late advisers had promised to recommend His Excellency to sanction. It has, on the present occasion, been separated from the sum it has been proposed to raise for opening the Coftl-fields ; because, not only are the objects of the two loans essentially different, but there is an Act in existence —'• The Nelson Waterworks Act, 18G3," providing a special means of paying the interest and refunding the capital of the present loan ; and the Bill now presented for approval is, in fact, of the nature of a Guarantee Act, and tlie Provincial Revenue will not be really burdened with interest or sinking fund, although legally liable for them. I have the honor to enclose a copy ot certain minutes of a Committee of the Provincial Council on the subject of the Waterworks Bill. The report of the Committee shews the estimated amount of the rate now authorised by the Waterworks Act, and I think the evidence justifies the hope I entertain that His Excellency may be advised to assent to the present Bill without requiring the landed security stipulated for in sanctioning Provincial loans iii general. I have, &c, J. P. Robinson, Superintendent, lion, the Colonial Secretary, Auckland. No. 7. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, NELSON. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 26th July, 1864. SiX, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, (No. 64-22), forwarding a Hill passed by the Provincial Council of Nelson, entitled the " Waterworks Loan Act, 1864," which Bill you had reserved for the significaiion of the Governor's pleasure thereon. [n reply 1 have to inform your Honor that, under the peculiar circumstances stated in that letter, His Excellency the Governor has been advised to assent to that Bill, and I herewith return to jou a copy with His Excellency's assent duly noted thereon. I have, &c, William Fox. His Honor tlie Superintendent, Nelson. PROVINCE OF MARLBOROUGH. No. 1. THE SUPERINTENDENT, MARLBOROUGH, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Superintendent's Office, Picton, 11th September, 1863. Sir, — I have the honor to, transmit to you by this mail several Billa passed by our Provincial Council this session, which you will please have the kindness to submit to His Excellency for his assent thereto. C

(No. 64-23.)

(No. 218.)

11

PROVINCIAL LOANS.