D.—No. 6_>.

AMERICAN RAILWAYS.

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Clutha line. I will send tracing, and mean to extend its use where practicable. The trenches rejoice in the name of cow-pits. John Blackett, Acting Engineer-in-Chief.

No. 5. Circular to Superintendents and Chairman of the County Council. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sib,— Wellington, sth May, 1871. I have the honor to transmit for your information the enclosed copy of a letter from Mr. Vogel on the subject of railways in America, which may be found interesting, and perhaps useful and applicable in the construction of railways in this country. The Government would bo glad to receive any remarks which may suggest themselves to your Honor upon the subjects alluded to by Mr. Vogel. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. W. Gisborne. Note. —Similar letter sent to all the Superintendents of Provinces, and the Chairman of the County Council.

No. 6. His Honor J. Macandrew to the Hon. AY. Gisborne. Superintendent's Office, Sib,— Dunedin, Kith May, IS7I. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the sth May, and to thank you for the copy of Mr. A'ogel's letter, on the subject of railways in America. I have, &c, J. Macandrew, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 7. His Honor T. B. Gillies to the Hon. AY. Gisborne. Superintendent's Office, Sir,— Auckland, 17th May, 1871. I have tbe honor to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of a copy of a letter from Mr. Arogel, on the subject of railways in America, enclosed in a circular from your office, dated the sth instant, wherein you state that the Government will be glad to receive any remarks which may suggest themselves to me upon the subjects alluded to by Mr. Vogel. As requested, I beg to remark that I entirely coincide with the views expressed by Mr. Vogel, and that it it on these very principles that the Provincial Government were proceeding in the matter of the Kaipara railway. I trust that the views of Mr Vogel will have sufficient weight to counterbalance in future such objections as led to the disallowance of the Kaipara Railway Bill. I have, &c, Thomas B. Gillies, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, AVellington. Superintendent.

No. S. The Hon. Mr. Gisborne to His Honor T. B. Gillies. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir— AVellington, 9th June, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th ultimo, on tho subject of Railways in America, and, in reply, to inform your Honor that however admirable the general system of railroads for the United States may be, I understand that United States Railway Acts make some provisions for public convenience and safety in respect of roads, crossings, and other matters, provisions which were altogether absent from the Kaipara Railway Act. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. AY. Gisborne.

No. 9. His Honor F. A. Carrington to the Hon. "W. Gisborne. Superintendent's Office, Sib,— New Plymouth, Ist June, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular of the sth instant, transmitting for my information the copy of a letter from the Hon. Julius Vogel, on the subject of Railways in America, which I have perused with much interest. 2