B.—No. 3b,

Enclosure 1 in No. 4. John alexander ross to his honor the superintendent, southland. Sib, — I hereby offer to finish the Bluff Harbor and Invercargill line of Railway, for the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds sterling, on the following terms : — 1. The furnishing of the line to include platforms, goodsheds, and sidings as previously referred to by the Government. 2. The payment of the said sum of £25,000 to be taken in General Government Debentures at par. 3. My own bond to be given for the punctual commencement of the works and due completion within six months of the date of commencement. 4. No payment to be made until the works have been in progress for one calendar month. 5. After expiry of said month, payments to be made equal in value to ninety per cent, of the works completed as the works progress. And I hereby offer to lease the line of railway from the Government on the followimg terms: — 1. Lease to be for a term of seven years from the date of delivery of the line and rolling stock. 2. The property to be leased will be the Bluff Harbor and Invercargill line of Railway and all the rolling stock of the line, including steam engines, railway carriages, &c. 3. The rent will be (£5000) five thousand pounds per annum, to be paid monthly in advance. 4. The sum of £2500 to be retained by the Government from the £25,000 for completion of line for the first two years of the lease by way of security for rent, and to be forfeited in the event of a forfeiture of the lease. 5. If any one of the monthly instalments of rent shall be in arrear and unpaid for a period of three months after the proper period of payment, the Government shall be entitled to resume possession of the line and stock and determine the iease. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent Southland, J- A. Ross. New Zealand. Enclosure 2 in No. 4. JOHN ALEXANDER ROSS TO HIS HONOR TIIE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Invercargill, 28th July, 1865. In addition to the offer previously made by me to finish the Bluff line of Railway for the sum of twenty-five thousand pounds (£25,000, I hereby offer to complete all the works on that line at a fair contractor's price, as the same shall be fixed and determined by John Francis Dundas, Esq., the consulting engineer, and to take payment as in former offer, viz., in General Government Debentures. And after completion I will lease the line on the terms contained in my previous offer. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, J- Ross. Southland. Enclosure 3 in No. 4. Invercargill, 29th July, 1865. Sic,— In the event of the Government not being able to settle with Mr. Davies I hereby offer to perform whatever works the Government may require at a fair contractor's price, as the same shall be fixed by Jno. Francis Dundas, Esq., Consulting Engineer; and to lease the line and. rolling stock from the Government on the terms contained in my previous offer for a term of seven years, to commence from the day when the Government can give me possession. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, J- A. Ross. Southland. B

5

CONDITION OF THE PROVINCE OF SOUTHLAND.