D.—No. 6.

PAPERS RELATING TO THE

14

I may add, the plans and sections of the proposed Dunedin and Clutha Railway are on the way to England. Should business result, no time would be lost by our engineers making out the quantities by the time the concession could arrive in London. I have, &c, The Hon. W. Gisborne, Wellington. Audley Coote. P.S. —I have written this letter in a hurry to go on by the Auckland steamer. I have just received a reply to my telegram, from Melbourne, informing me that a steamer leaves that place for New Zealand, on the 30th instant, and again on the 6th February. I shall certainly come on by one of those steamers. In great haste. —A.C.

No. 13. Captain Audlev Coote to the Hon. Mr. Gisbobne. Sie, — Wellington, 14th February, 1871. Beferring to our conversation of yesterday, I have now the honor to enclose for your perusal my credentials, <&c. The other gentlemen with whom I am associated for the purpose of constructing railways, and providing capital for other public works on the guarantee principle, I beg leave to refer you to the margin, whose names are, — Captain Mangles, late M.P., Poyle Park, Farnham. Erasmus Ommaney, Bear-Admiral, of Talbot Square, Hyde Park. Henry E. Kennedy, of the City of London. William Hawes, of Sise Lane, City. George Coote, of Smeetham Hall, Suffolk. Francis W. Fox, C.E., of Bristol. Henry J. Wylie, C.E., Westminster Chambers. Messrs. F. Darton and Co., City. Edwin Fox, of Upper Norwood. Messrs. Wilson, Bristowe, and Carpmael, are our Parliamentary Agents, &c, and other gentlemen who are well known in the commercial and railway world, who are an associated body of gentlemen prepared to raise the capital and construct the railways, and who are at the present time engaged in the construction of railways and telegraphs in England and other parts of the world. I may be permitted to state, the last company formed by these gentlemen was for Tasmania, which is known and registered in London as the Tasmanian Main Line Railway Company, with a capital of one million pounds sterling, and will be prepared to do the same for New Zealand, the capital to be hereafter agreed upon. I enclose for your perusal copies of letters from London to me on the railway business ; also copy of my last letter from the Tasmanian Government, in which we are authorized to raise the capital and construct the railway. I also send Articles of Association of the Tasmanian Company. I have, &c, Hon. W. Gisborne, Wellington. Audley Coote.

No. 14. The Hon. W. Gisbobne to Captain Audley Coote. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 16th February, 1871. I have tho honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, transmitting certain papers in original, which I return herewith, showing your authority to negotiate for providing capital on the guarantee principle, for the construction of railways in New Zealand. The Government have carefully perused those documents, but they do not perceive that you are authorized in any contract which they might be disposed to enter into with you to bind those whom you represent, or at once to give effect to it by the immediate commencement of the railways, the construction of which has beei: authorized by the Legislature. I have to request you to be good enough to favour the Government with any definite proposal which vou wish to be considered; and they will, if you desire it, transmit such proposal to Mr. Vogel, the Colonial Treasurer, in London, in order that he may communicate with your principals on the subject. I have, &c, Audley Coote, Esq., Wellington. W. Gisbobne.

No. 15. Captain Audley Coote to the Hon. W. Gisbobne. Sib,— Wellington, 18th February, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th instant, in which you state the Government have carefully perused the papers I sent you, and they do not perceive that I am authorized to enter into a binding contract for the gentlemen with whom I am associated, and that I should favour the Government with a definite proposal. I have now, on behalf of my principals, to submit for the approval of the Government the following terms for the immediate construction of the railways.