CONSTRUCTION OE RAILWAYS.

31

D.—No. Ga

WELLINGTON. No. 64. The Hon. W. Gisboene to His Honor I. E. Featheeston. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 24th January, 1871. The 12th section of " The Eailways Act, 1870," authorizes tho Governor to cause surveys to be made and other proceedings to be taken for enabling him to submit to the General Assembly during next Session proposals for the construction of the railways specified in the Third Schedule to that Act, and that Schedule includes lines from AVellington to Seventy-Alile Bush, thence to Napier, and from New Plymouth to Wanganui, and thence to the Wellington and Napier line. Your Honor is no doubt aware that at present the lines referred to are partly in progress of survey, with a view to the authority of the Assembly being requested next Session for their construction. The 19th section of the Immigration and Public AVorks Act provides that the expenditure under that Act on the survey and construction of railways shall (excepting moneys paid out of the Aliddle Island Eailway Fund Account) be charged provincially, and that the Province concerned shall be charged with the interest and sinking fund of moneys raised out of the loan, and the proportion of cost of raising the same for such purpose. The 17th section of the same Act authorizes the Provincial Legislature to recommend land to be set apart for the construction of a railway or any part thereof; and the 20th section authorizes that body to agree with the Governor, subject to the approval of the General Assembly, that Crown lands, to be specified, shall be accepted in lieu of the Provincial charge on account of such railways. I have accordingly to request your Honor to be good enough to bring this subject under the consideration of tho Provincial Council, in order that steps may be taken for the reservation of Crown lands, either for the purpose of being employed in direct payment for the construction of such railways, or, as would appear to be a preferable course, for providing the General Assembly with an adequate security that the construction, when authorized, of the railway will not entail a charge on the Colony, but will be defrayed, as required by the Act, out of Provincial resources. It is hardly necessary for me to point out to your Honor that it will mainly depend upon the General Assembly being satisfied on this point whether or not the requisite authority for the construction of the railway will be given. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, AVellington. W. Gisboene.

No. 65. The Hon. W. Fitzheebeet to the Hon. W. Gisboene. Sie,— Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 11th July, 1871. I have the honor to forward you herewith copy of a Memorandum of Eailway Works recommended by the Provincial Council of Wellington be undertaken by the General Government; and I beg to state that it expresses the wishes of the Provincial Council, and has my entire approval. I have, &c, AV. Fitzheebeet, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

Enclosure in No. 65. Memorandum of Eailway Works recommended by the Provincial Council of Wellington to be undertaken by the General Government. A main line of railway from Wellington to Patea, passing through Wairarapa, Alanawatu Gorge, and Wanganui, having been surveyed by the General Government, this Council recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the said line, and is of opinion that the following portions of the line should be immediately proceeded with : — 1. AVellington to Masterton. 2. Wanganui to Waitotara. 3. Wanganui to the Village of Marton, or to such point nearest to Marton as the line may run. This Council is also of opinion that it will greatly facilitate and encourage the more speedy settlement of large areas of valuable bush country, and be of high value to the operations of defence, if tho intermediate portions of the aforesaid main line are opened up as soon possible by means of a light tramroad, preparatory to the formation of the permanent way, which would by this means be formed when required with far greater ease, economy, and despatch, through labourers being already settled along the line of way, through the saving in cost of transit of materials and supplies, and through the expenditure on the tramroad being really only a prior instalment of the necessary labour on the permanent way.