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No. 3. The Under Secretary for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway. Sir, — Public Works Office, Christchurch, 4th November, 1889. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd ultimo on the subject"bf the cost of working Greymouth Eailway and Harbour. In reply, I am to refer you for cost of working railway to the annual reports of the Working Bailways Department for some years past, which will be forwarded to you from Wellington in a few days, but am at the same time to say that the Government does not take any responsibility as regards the accuracy of these statements, which the company should form their own opinion upon and take for what they are worth. As regards the cost of working the Greymouth Harbour, I enclose return herewith, but this is also supplied without any guarantee of its accuracy or completeness. It does not include anything for up-keep of river training-mounds, and ocean breakwaters, which have hitherto been maintained —being in course of construction —out of the construction vote. Neither does it include anything for dredging. Some years back dredging was required alongside wharf, and it seems probable that it will be required again shortly, but during the last few years no such dredging has been done. I have, &c., C. Y. O'Connor, Under-Secretary for Public Works. E. Wilson, Esq., General Manager, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

Enclosure. Greymouth Haeboue.—Statement of Cost of working the Harbour for the Period from the Ist April, 1888, to the 30th June, 1889, Fifteen Months (exclusive of Interest and Sinking Fund). Harbour expenses — £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries, harbour staff ... ... 990 0 0 Incidental ... ... ... 104 16 7 Eepairs to buildings ... ... 7 14 6 Beacon tramway alterations ... ... 25 13 0 1,128 4 1 Tug service—Net receipts ... ... £1,501 14 10 Loss ... ... ... ... 715 14 10 2,217 9 8 Expenses of Board— Salaries — Secretary, &c. (proportion not charged to works) ... ... 157 0 0 Bates ... ... ... ... 151 4 3 Printing, advertising, &o. ... ... 68 0 0 Incidental (repairs to office, law expenses, &c.) . . ... ... ... 195 0 8 571 4 11 Total for fifteen months ... ... £3,916 18 8 Total for twelve months at above rate, £3,133 lis., say ... £3,200 0 0

No. 4. The Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. (Memorandum.) Public Works Office, Wellington, 4th November, 1889. At the request of Mr. O'Connor I have the honour to transmit herewith copies of the Working Bailways Statements for the last five years. H. J. H. Blow, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. E. Wilson, Esq., C.E., General Manager, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 5. The General Managee, Midland Eailway Company, to the Under-Secretary for Public Works. Sir, — Christchurch, 6th November, 1889. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, with enclosure, with respect to the cost of working the Greymouth-Brunnerton Eailway and the Greymouth Harbour, and to thank you for the information therein contained. I have, &0., Eobert Wilson, General Manager, Midland Eailway Company (Limited). C. Y. O'Connor, Esq., Under-Secretary for Public Works, Wellington.