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the wet weather fairly sets in ; as, even with the small amount of rain already fallen, they are fast becoming impassable. lam also directed to call your attention to the necessity for additional lighting in front of the Railway-station, as the approaches to it are absolutely dangerous on a dark night. The Corporation will in no case undertake the maintenance of a responsibility for any street which has not previously been formed, kerbed, metalled, and channelled to the satisfaction of the City Surveyor. I have, &c, Chaeles C. Gbaham, The Hon. the Minister for Public "Works, Wellington. Town Clerk.

Sib,— Public Works Office, Wellington, 27th July, 1881. With reference to your letter of the Bth June (acknowledged on the 10th of the same month), I am directed by the Acting-Minister for Public Works to inform you that the street entrance to the Railway-station on the reclaimed land has been lighted ; but that whatever further lighting is required, i.e., of the street itself, the Minister considers a matter for the attention of the Corporation. As regards the metalling of the streets, I am to send to you the enclosed tracing, showing the streets that have been metalled at the cost of the Government; and, looking to the provisions of " The Wellington City Boundaries Act, 1878," the Minister is of opinion that the Government has done all that it can reasonably be considered as called upon to do. I have, &c, John Knowles, His Worship the Mayor of Wellington. Under-Secretary Public Works.

Sir,— _ Town Clerks Office, Wellington, 15th August, 1881. I have the honour, by direction of the City Council of Wellington, to acknowledge receipt of yours of 27th July (P.W. 81/1901, 2960), informing the Council that Government do not intend doing anything further in the way of lighting aud metalling the streets on the reclaimed land. I am directed to point out to you that, by the terms of clause 23 of "The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act, 1878," the streets in question are strictly private streets, which the City Council have decided on can only be taken over by them on their being formed, kerbed, channelled, and metalled to the satisfaction of the City Surveyor, which has certainly not been the case with the streets in question. I am further directed to point out that, when a contract was let by the Government for the metalling of those streets, a considerable sum of money was kept back on account of the non-fulfilment of the contract, which money would go far towards making good the streets ; and, as proof of the foregoing, the very trenches which were opened up across the streets to expose the shortcomings of the contractor have never been filled in to this day, but are now lying open, and a source of danger to the unwary. The Council would further remind the Government that, when the land in question was sold by auction, the then Minister for Public Works guaranteed that the streets would be properly formed and metalled. I have, &c, Charles C. Graham, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. Town Clerk.

Sib,— Public Works Office, Wellington, 26th September, 1881. With reference to your letter of the 15th August (acknowledged on the 19th of same month), I am now directed by the Acting-Minister for Public Works to inform you that the Government have again fully considered the question of their responsibility relative to the streets on the reclaimed land, and are advised that the contention of the Corporation that the streets are private ones cannot be maintained, inasmuch as the 23rd section of " The Municipal Corporations Act, 1878," defines a private street as " any highway hereafter to be laid out on private property." The reclaimed land formed part of a grant to the Superintendent of the Province of Wellington for the public uses of the said province, and subsequently became vested in the Crown. A portion of this land was authorized to be sold by the Financial Arrangements Act of 1878, and the proceeds were paid into the Public Account. As it appears, however, that a sum of £343 15s. remains unexpended out of the fund provided for metalling the streets, I am to express the willingness of the Government either to spend the same in additional metalling, or to hand it over to the Corporation for this purpose on the understanding that it will be received in full discharge of all claims against the Government. I have, &c., John Knowles, His Worship the Mayor, Wellington. Under-Secretary for Public Works.

Snt Geobge,— 25th July, 1882. I have the honour to enclose copy of a letter from Mr. R. J. Duncan, who acted as auctioneer to the Government when a portion of the reclaimed land in Wellington was sold in 1879, in which he narrates a promise publicly made, as he states, by your authority, relative to the formation of the streets fronting the sections then about to be sold. 1 shall be much obliged if you will be good enough to favour me with your recollection of what took place on that occasion. I have, &c, Hon. Sir G. S. Whitmore. Waltee Johnston.