E.—4

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carried out, the plans recommended by the Board would give quite as good a connection with the jetty as that proposed by the Government, but it appears to mo to sacrifice much good land, and w rould entail the removal of the goods shed. The proposals as to the future station accommodation are—l. That a new goods station be built to the north of Stuart Street; 2. That the present station be used only as a passenger station, and that the part indicated by a blue tint be handed over to the Board. If these proposals are carried out the land which will, in my opinion, be depreciated in value most by adopting the line suggested by the Board will belong to them, and the Government will not be the losers, so that I do not see any reason why the wishes of the Board should not bo complied with. If, however, the Government do not propose to grant the land now forming part of the station to tho Board, it would be in my opinion injudicious to cut it up by making the connection with Battray Street by a siding through it. It will in any case be necessary to stipulate that until the new goods station is reclaimed no land now in use for railway purposes shall be parted with. The station-ground is already too small, and should on no account be reduced in extent. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. John Carruthers.

No. 37. The Town Clerk, Dunedin, to the Hon. the Ministee for Public Works. Sir, — City Council Chambers, Dunedin, 6th March, 1878. I have the honor, by direction of his Worship the Mayor, to forward herewith copies of the resolutions passed at a joint Conference held lately between representatives of tho Government, Otago Harbour Board, the City Council, aud the Chamber of Commerce, relative to the proposed site of the railway goods shed and passenger station. A tracing of the plan referred to in the resolutions is also forwarded herewith. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, J. W. Massey, Wellington. Town Clerk.

Enclosure in No. 37. Copy of Eesolutions moved by Mr. Tewsley, and seconded by Mr. Oliver. That the draft plan now produced, and signed by the Mayor as Chairman of the Conference consisting of his Worship the Mayor and Chairman of the Corporation's Works Committee, the Chairman of the Harbour Board and the Chairman of the Works Committee thereof, the Chairman and Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, Messrs. Carruthers and Blair, Government Engineers, Mr. Simpson, Harbour Board Engineer, and Mr. Mirams, City Engineer, be recommended to the Govern. merit, the Harbour Board, the City Corporation, and the Chamber of Commerce, as the settlement of the positions of the passenger and goods station, and as being most in accordance with the requirements of the public, provided no material alteration be made in the site shown on the plan as that of the large dock.—Carried unanimously. Besolved, That the Mayor transmit to the Minister for Public Works, the Chamber of Commerce, the Harbour Board, and the City Council, copies of the above resolution and the plan referred to therein. —-Carried. The above resolutions were passed at a meeting of the Conference held at the Harbour Board Office on Tuesday, the 19th day of Eebruary, 1878. B, 11. Leaey, Mayor, Chairman.

No. 38. Memorandum for the Engineer-in-Chief. Public Works Office, Dunedin, 11th March, 1878. Enclosed please find petition re railway and dock accommodation at Dunedin, for record. The Engineer-in-Chief. W. IN. Blair.

Enclosure in No. 38. Petition. Unto the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, Minister for Public Works, the Memorial of the undersigned, Importers and Merchants of the City of Dunedin, humbly showeth : That we have carefully considered the whole question of railway as well as dock accommodation and requirements, in respect to both of which the public interests, and especially the mercantile interests, have an equally intimate bearing. That, having done so, and studied all the arguments and proposals that have been advanced by various persons and bodies, wc are of the opinion that the attached plan, with tho addition of Liverpool Street carried through to the cross wharf tho same as Water Street is shown, would best meet the requirements of the public in respect both to tho railway sheds and to the docks. That we are further of the opinion that the Harbour Board should not be interfered with in at once leasing that part of the block of land put into its possession by the Legislature, and known as the