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The General Manager, Midland Railway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Sic, — New Zealand Midland Railway Company (Limited), Christcburch, 11th December, 1890. Regulations for dealing with Lands under Clause 33 in Midland Railway Contract. —Referring to the suggested amendments to the regulations which I sent you on the 11th ultimo, I have the honour to state that—on further inquiry, I find that it will be extremely injurious to the interests o£ settlement in the distriots concerned if the two-months' reference to the Minister must always elapse before any land can be dealt with. I hope you will, therefore, see the neoeseity of devising some means for doing away with such a long delay. I have, &c, For the New Zealand Midland Railway Company (Limited), Robert Wilson, Engineer-in-Ghief and General Manager. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. Here is a telegram in the same strain, to stir up the Government: — The General Manager, Midland Railway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. (Telegram.) Christohuroh, 27th January, 1891. Hope can count on your assistance to get regulations settled for dealing with lands in Westland. Waiting reply to letter 30th December to Minister Public Works. Robert Wilson. Hon. R. J. Seddon, Wellington. Here is the reply, which again shows obstruction : — The Acting Engineer-in-Chief to the General Manager, Midland Railway Company. Sir,— Public Works Office, Wellington, 7th February, 1891. Re Midland Railway Regulations for dealing with Lands under Clause 33 of the Midland Railway Contract. —I am direoted by the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th December last relative to advertising applications for lands under clause 33 of the Midland Railway Contract as required by the draft regulations for dealing with these lands forwarded for your concurrence on 23rd December, and intimating that, should the Government be about to make large reserves for mining purposes, the system of advertising proposed would not be necessary. In reply, I am to state that the question of the reservation of land for mining purposes has not yet been decided by the Government, but, under any circumstanoes, the Hon. Mr. Seddon considers that it will be necessary for all applications affecting lands under clause 33 to be duly advertised. I have, &c, Wμ. H. Hales, Acting Engineer-in-Chief. R. Wilson, Esq., C.E., General Manager, Midland Railway Company, Christchurch. Does that letter look like anxious desire to facilitate settlement ? Bead it with this reply : — The General Manager, Midland Railway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Sir, — New Zealand Midland Railway Company (Limited), Christchurch, 10th March, 1891. Regulations for dealing with Lands. —We are being much pressed by applicants for land on the West Coast to deal with their applications, which have been held over some time pending the settlement of the regulations for dealing with these lands. As the interests of the district are suffering considerably, we mast ask you for an early reply to our letter of 10th February, in order that we may proceed at once. I have, &c, For the New Zealand Midland Railway Company (Limited), The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Robert Wilson, Engineer- iri -Chief and General Manager. What was the reply ? Mr. Wilson is asking for a reply to his letter of the 10th February, and on the 25th March, six weeks after, this is what the department writes: — The Acting Engineer-in-Chief to the General Manager, Midland Railway Company. Sir,— Public Works Office, Wellington, 25th March, 1891. Re Midland Railway Regulations for dealing with Lands under Clause 33 of the Midland Railway Contract.—ln reply to your letter of the 10th instant, requesting an early answer to your previous letter on the abovementioned subject, I have now the honour, by direotion of the Minister for Public Works, to inform you that the matter awaits the return of the Hon. the Minister of Lands to Wellington, now shortly expected. I have, &c, R. Wilson, Esq., C.E., General Manager, William H. Hales, Acting Engineer-in-Chief. New Zealand Midland Railway Company, Christchurch. This is' a fair sample of the delay for which now we are told we are responsible. Still another protest from the company : — The General Manager, Midland Railway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Sir, — New Zealand Midland Railway Company, Limited, Ohristchurch, 10th July, 1891. Referring again to my letter of the 10th February last, forwarding draft regulations for dealing with lands under clause 33 of the Midland Railway contract, and to subsequent correspondence and interviews with yourself and the Hon. Minister of Lands on the same subject, I have the honour to again bring under your notice: (1.) That the districts concerned are being greatly retarded, and settlers put to much inconvenience, and are even leaving the districts through the locking-up of lands ; (2.) that the company is not only incurring a present monetary loss through losing opportunities of making sales of land, but will also seriously suffer in the future from a traffic point of view through the delay of settlement along the line of railway. I desire, therefore, again to point out that the responsibility rests with the Government both in respect to the stoppage of settlement in the West Coast districts and in respect of the restrictions placed in the way of the company realising its land grant, which are contrary to the terms of the Midland Railway contraot. Trusting you will give the matter your early attention. I have, &c, For the New Zealand Midland Railway Company, Limited, The Hon. the Minister for Public Worka. Robert Wilson, Engineer-in-Chief and General Manager. Now we find a striking example either of indifference or opposition to our efforts to settle these lands. The letters speak for themselves : — The Acting Under-Secretary for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Railway Company. Sir,— Public Works Office, Wellington, 22nd July, 1891. Re Midland Railway Regulations for dealing with Lands under Clause 33 of the Midland Railway Contract. —I am direoted by the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, calling attention to the alleged delay in the matter of opening land for settlement, under the Midland Railway contract, on the West Coast of the Middle Island, and stating that the districts affected are being retarded thereby. In reply, I am to state that the Government is not in any way responsible for any delay in this matter, as all the lands which have so far been earned by the company have been duly granted to it, and if the company has seen fit to make almost the whole of its selections on the east side of the range, instead of on the West Coast, the Government cannot be blamed therefor. No impediment has been plaoed in "the way of your company selecting lands within the railway area on the west ooast of the Middle Island.