D.—No. 30.

4

PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONSTRUCTION OE RAILWAYS.

No. 3. His Honor A. P. Seymour to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, 6th September, 1870. In the matter of the Picton and Blenheim Railway Bill, I desire to point out to you that ever since the year 1861 the construction of a railway between the above towns has been considered highly desirable. That on two occasions the Legislature has passed Acts authorizing the construction of the same, and on one occasion has passed a Loan Act for raising the necessary funds. The effect of such a railway would be to give the larger and more settled part of the Province access to a good and safe and convenient harbour, inferior to none in New Zealand. The harbour of Port Underwood is unsuitable, as the only communication with it for the conveyance of goods is through small coasting vessels by way of the Wairau River, which has a bar entrance, and except in times of flood will only admit vessels drawing about five feet water. The proposed railway would carry our wool and flax and agricultural produce to the place of shipment; and, in addition, the line passes through a timbered country suitable for settlement, and this part supplies nearly all the timber, fencing, and firewood consumed in the central portion of the Province. There are now in the office of the Colonial Secretary full plans and sections of the proposed line, executed by one of the principal engineers of the Queensland railways. A similar' communication with Port Underwood, although the line is not so long, would cost far more money to make, from the great engineering difficulties presented on that route, and would not pass through any timbered country nor through a district suitable for settlement. I have no hesitation in saying that, if the Picton and Blenheim Railway^s carefully and economically constructed, the Province will be able, under the present financial proposals, to guarantee interest on the outlay without loss to its future revenues. I have, &c, A. P. Seymour, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 4. His Honor W. Rolleston to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Legislative Buildings, 18th August, 1870. The House of Representatives having now passed the Immigration and Public Works Bill, I beg leaveto place before you the grounds on which, in connection with other Representatives from the Province of Canterbury, I have on several occasions pressed upon your attention the claim which that Province appears to have for consideration in the apportionment of funds which may be raised, during he current year, under the proposals of the Government. The Bill in question provides that railways shall not be commenced under its authority until a further special authority is given by the General Assembly ; it being provided that, during the recess, surveys should be made and plans prepared, to afford full information to the Legislature on the nature and probable cost of any railway works which may be proposed to it. In the case, however, of certain railways in progress and in contemplation in the Province of Canterbury, I beg to point out that the required information already exists, and can be laid before the Assembly at once. I trust, therefore, that the Government will consider itself justified in recommending the General Assembly, in accordance with the terms of the Bill to which I have referred, to take the case into its immediate consideration. It is, I trust, unnecessary for me to point out how undesirable it is that the progress of works of this character, for which all the preliminaries are complete, and which, from their connections with existing railways, will prove immediately remunerative, should be postponed for another twelve months, when no good ground exists for tho delay. I beg leave to forward herewith a map of the Province, showing the railways already completed and those proposed to be constructed, together with plans and estimates of cost for that portion of the proposed lines with which it is desirable to proceed at once. I also annex a memorandum and other documents, furnishing full particulars with regard to those works. They are as follows : — (1.) The portion of the Great Northern Line of Railway between the Addington Station on the Southern Railway, and the Town of Rangiora, a distance of nearly 19 miles. (2.) The portion of the Great Southern Railway which lies between the present terminus of the line now in work and the River Rakaia, over which a bridge is now in course of construction. Tho length which I would suggest should be proceeded with is a distance of about 11 miles 10 chains. (3.) The portion of the Southern Trunk Line between Timaru and Temuka, commencing from the former place, —which is the port of a very considerable agricultural district, —-a distance of about 12 miles. The total estimated cost, as shown in the memorandum, will be as follows : — No. 1, say ... ... ... ... £92,500 0 0 No. 2, say ... ... ... ... 48,000 0 0 No. 3, say ... ... ... ... 60,000 0 0 £200,500 0 0 I hope the information contained in these plans and papers will be deemed sufficiently ample to enable the Government to submit to the Assembly, during its present Session, proposals for proceeding with the works enumerated to the extent above indicated. If however you should require further information, it will give me much pleasure to supply the same.