D.—No. 6a,

36

PAPERS RELATING TO THE

No. 72. Air. Allen to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Sir,— AVaiwetu, Hutt, 15th February, 1871. In reference to the line of road that I pointed out to you leading to the Waiwetu side of the Hutt A^alley, the portion of the road midway from the beach to the Hutt Bridge is called White's Line, and is 1 chain wide, being the base line from whence the survey started. The length from Hutt Eoad to the junction of the Waiwetu main line, leading to the Taita, is about the same distance as from commencement of the road to the Hutt Bridge; the land is public property. The road thence to the Taita is about two and a half to three miles long, something less than a mile and a half by the present road. The above road is 1 chain wdde, with a narrow metal road in the centre ; clear of floods, and I believe only one small bridge or culvert in the whole distance, and the road is public property. I am not aware, and from inquiries that I have made no compensation could be claimed by tho above line from the town up to the Gorge ; the other portions of the line I know nothing about. I have, &c, The Hon. AV. Gisborne, Colonial Secretary. Geo. Allen.

No. 73. Air. Eochfoet to Mr. Blackett. Sie, — Hawkestone Street, AVellington, 10th April, 1871. I have the honor to report to you, in reference to a letter addressed to the Hon. the Alinister of Public Works by Mr. G. Allen, on the 15th February ultimo, relative to a deviation in the line of railway as surveyed by me at the Lower Hutt, as follows; — ' The junction of AVhite's line with the Hutt Eoad, about one mile on the AVellington side of the Hutt Bridge, would be about the point of deviation he proposes. From this place to the end of where the AVaiwetu direct line is formed (where it touches section 47) there would be an extra distance of three-quarters of a mile. From section 47 to the Gorge there would also be an increase of distance of another quarter of a mile against Mr. Allen's line. Atuch of this latter portion would have to be bought to straighten the line, &c. Air. Allen's proposition may be thus summarized: his line would be at least a mile longer; the Hutt Eiver must be crossed on AVhite's line ; the railway line would also have to take the Gorge about the same place as the coach road, which has been already condemned. I have, &c, John Blackett, Esq., John Eochfoet. Acting Engineer of Public AVorks, Wellington.

No. 74. Mr. Eochfoet to Mr. Blackett. Sib,— Wellington, 10th April, 1871. I have the honor to inform you that, agreeably with your instructions of the 16th February, I have explored the country between Masterton and Alanawatu Gorge, and consider that the best line for a railway would be by the Kopuerangi and Alakakahi Eivers, as shown on the accompanying sketch. Starting from Alasterton, the route I have selected traverses open country for nine miles, crossing the Euamahanga Eiver near Mr. Dorset junior's house, on to the flank of the Tcrahunga Hill, where there is rock foundation on one side and favourable ground on the other. Entering the Forty-Mile Bush at Stewart's, three miles brings us to AVeston's clearing (the only sign of a European for fifty-five long miles of bush); so far the country is perfectly flat. The uext five miles, as far as Alangapakihi, would be occasionally sideling and flat. The Alangapakihi is a small river coming in on the west side, where there was formerly an old Native cultivation. About three miles further on there is a rather broken limestone hill, abutting on the Kopuerangi, which can be avoided by keeping the line on the other side. This river is so narrow that it can be bridged easily almost anywhere ; it is very sluggish, generally very deep, with a muddy bottom, and deep equal banks ; from this character any bad place may be avoided by bridging. There are five miles of flat country between the limestone hill and the watershed of the AVairarapa and Alanawatu. The saddle is on a branch creek, which comes in on the east side, and is of nearly equal size with the Kopuerangi. The rise to the end of the flat, immediately before ascending the saddle, is about 577 feet above and twenty-four miles from Masterton, showing a rise of 24 feet per mile, or lin 200. From here to the top of the saddle, which is about half a mile further, it is only 99 feet above the flat, but the line would want a gradient of 1 in 53 run back from the saddle for one mile to reach the flat. The saddle is very flat, and perhaps a mile wide, and enclosed by side hills of considerable height. From the saddle to the Eiver Alakakahi, a tributary of the Manawatu, is a fall of 117 feet. This is a considerable river; even here, indeed, I believe, in old times, canoes have been brought within a short distance. Some three miles from the saddle a bluff occurs abutting on the river, and about 100 feet high. The top of this bluff is 128 feet below the saddle. Although there are flats all along the river, I consider the best way to take the line would be to grade down very gradually from the saddle without approaching the river until this bluff is passed. The down gradient to this point from the saddle would be 1 in 120.