PAPERS RELATING TO THE TRANSFER TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF CANTERBURY OF THE NORTHERN RAILWAY, FROM ADDINGTON TO KAIAPOI.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1872 Session I, D-08a

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PAPERS RELATING TO THE TRANSFER TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF CANTERBURY OF THE NORTHERN RAILWAY, FROM ADDINGTON TO KAIAPOI.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OF HIS EXCELLENCY. WELLINGTON. :-" 1872. ._

SCHEDULE OF CORRESPONDENCE.

ro. Date. From. To. Subject. 1 1872. March 8 Mr. Maude Mr. Kennaway Forwarding memorandum of terms for transfer of Railway. 2 March 20 Mr. Kennaway Mr. Maude Approving of terms as basis of formal agreement. 3 March 27 Mr. Kennaway Mr. Maude Requesting lease to be prepared on terms agreed to. i 4 April 3 Mr. Maude Mr. Kennaway i Crown Solicitor has instructions to prepare agreement. 5 April 25 Hon. Mr. Reeves His Honor the Superintendent Is prepared to transfer Railway in terms of memorandum ai it now stands. April 27 His Honor the Superintendent Hon; Mr. Reeves Accepts terms for transfer, &c. April 29 Mr. Thornton Mr. Maude Certifies that line is safe for public traffic.

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No. 1. Mr. Maude to Mr. Kewnawat. Office of the Resident Minister for the Middle Island, Sir,— Christchurch, Bth March, 1872. Referring to previous negotiations and to my interview with yourself and the Provincial Treasurer on the sth instant, when terms were discussed upon which the working of the Great Northern Railway should be taken over by the Provincial Government, I have the honor, by the direction of Mr. Reeves, to forward herewith a memorandum embodying the propositions which have been mutually assented to, as the basis of a formal agreement between Mr. Reeves and his Honor the Superintendent. I am, however, still to express the earnest request of Mr. Reeves that the question of passage over the Canterbury lines of men and materials to be employed in the construction of Railways should be reconsidered, and that in view of many and obvious reasons for the concession, the Provincial Government should grant a free passage instead of charging, as it is now proposed to do, the one half of current rates. Eirst, it will greatly facilitate the arrangements the Government may have to make with contractors, and thereby tend to lessen the price of construction. Secondly, it follows that the money at tho disposal of the Government for Railways will be spread over a greater length of construction. Thirdly, every additional mile of Railway will add its proportion of traffic to the lines already under provincial control. Fourthly, if the charge is insisted on, it will, by adding to the capital expended on construction, increase the net rental, or, in other words, the interest chargeable against the province, and so diminish the revenue of the line. Fifthly, in the case of the branch lines it will directly affect in no small proportion the provincial contribution of £12,000, which is a part of the £150,350 to be expended on these Railways. I trust that the Provincial Government will see its way to make the concession asked for by Mr. Reeves. With this point in reservation, an agreement should at once be drafted for completion at an early date, and so soon as you have intimated in writing your acceptance of the terms in the memorandum enclosed, the Crown Solicitor will be instructed to prepare a deed for final execution. I have, <fee, Thomas. Wm. Maude, The Provincial Secretary, Christchurch. Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 1. Memorandum of Terms upon which an Agreement is to be made between the Resident Minister and the Superintendent of Canterbury for the Working of the Northern Railway by the Provincial Government. 1. The Northern Line, when laid to Kaiapoi, shall he taken over by the Provincial Government, and be worked by them. When the line is laid to Rangiora it shall be taken over and worked in like manner. 2. The General Government shall complete the main line and sidings, and shall provide such gates, houses, stations, platforms, warehouses, &0., &c, as shall be shown necessary by a joint report of Messrs. Bray, Thornton, and Marsh man. Cranes, weighing machines, turn-tables, water stations, and signals are regarded as furniture to be supplied by Provincial Government. 3. The General Government will allow the Provincial Government to work the line rent free on the Provincial Government agreeing to maintain the line and works, and to give up possession to the General Government at the expiration of twelve months' notice from any date. 4. That the Provincial Government shall provide such further accommodation as the development of the traffic may require. But in any case where it desires to obtain a refund of the cost of these improvements it must obtain the concurrence of the General Government previous to their erection. 5. The iron work for wagons and the tarpaulins and dressing materials ordered from England shall be purchased by the Provincial Government at the cost price, including charges to the General Government.

TRANSFER TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OE CANTERBURY OE THE NORTHERN RAILWAY, EROM ADDINGTON TO RANGIORA.

TRANSFER TO THE CANTERBURY GOVERNMENT OP

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6. It is understood that such traffic accounts as are necessary are kept and audited by the Provincial Auditor, so that when required they can be referred to. 7. All materials for the extension of Railways shall be carried over the lines in provincial hands at half the rates charged to the public from Lyttelton for delivery at the goods [station nearest the place required for the deposit of the goods. 8. Season tickets at half-price shall be granted to the contractor's staff, specially to be issued to the official only, so as not to become the private property of the person using it. 9. The Governor to be advised to concur in a tariff not exceeding the Southern Line" rates, as may from time to time be in force, and such tariff shall not be disturbed during lessee's tenure except at their instance. Thomas Wm. Maude, 7-3-72 Secretary.

Memorandum of Station Accommodation to be Provided by the General Government on the Northern Railway. The undersigned having had referred to them the amount of station accommodation required to be provided by the General Government on the Northern Railway from Addington to Rangiora, met on the 19th January for the purpose of enquiring into the same, and conclude as under: — Addington. This being a station on the Southern Railway, no addition is required to be made. Hiecarton. Here a station-house, with booking-office and accommodation for residence of station master, is needed. The plan of station drawn contains no more accommodation than is absolutely necessary ; the platform, artesian well, urinals and closets, and metalling of roads are necessary for the convenience of Buch an amount of passenger traffic as may be expected here. Papanui. The station master may reside at the gate-house, and act also as gate-keeper, therefore no station building need be erected at present, but the site for its future erection may be left t free. Platform to be 10 feet wide, 100 feet long, including ramps, with a shed 25 feet long, 10 feet wide, 8 feet high, for a waiting shed and booking office at the back of the platform. Urinals required, but no closets or artesian well. Styx. Same accommodation required as above specified for Papanui. Kaiapoi. This station being at a populous town, more passenger accommodation is needed than at the smaller stations. Station buildings to be 50 feet long, 16 feet wide, with 7 feet verandah in front, to contain booking office, 12' 6" x 15'; ladies' room, 12' x 15'; general waiting room, 12' x 15'; and luggage room, 11' x 15. Eive places in the waiting rooms. Platform 100 feet long. Urinals, closets, and artesian well to be provided. Galvanized iron goods shed 90' x 30', and 9' 6" from floor to plate, with three sliding?- doorg on each side. Bangiora. Same accommodation required as at Kaiapoi, and as described above. All requisite signals, and water service, are to be provided by the Provincial Government. G. Thornton, Railway Engineer. W. B. Beay, District Engineer. John Marshman, General Manager. Christchurch, 20th January, 1872.

No. 2. Mr. Kennaway to Mr. Maude. Public Works Office, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, Sib,— 20th March, 1872. In reply to your letter of the Bth instant, and numbered 779-72, enclosing a memorandum embodying the propositions with reference to the working of the Great Northern Railway, I am directed by his Honor the Superintendent to request you to inform the Honorable the Resident Minister that the Provincial Government approve of them as a basis of a formal agreement for the taking over and working of the said Railway. The Provincial Government having reconsidered, as requested by the Honorable the Resident Minister, the question of passage over the Canterbury lines, desire before coming to a final decision

NORTHERN RAILWAY—ADDINGTON TO RANGIORA.

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to obtain the opinion of the Provincial Council on the matter at its session to be held next month, when a further communication will he made to you on the subject. I have, &c, Walter Kennaway, T. W. Maude, Esq., Secretary for Public Works. Secretary, Resident Minister's Office, Christchurch.

No. 3. Mr. Kennaway to Mr. Maude. Provincial Secretary's Office, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, Sir,— 27th March, 1872. In reference to my letter to you of the 20th instant, on the subject of the taking over of the Northern Railway by the Provincial Government, I am directed by his Honor the Superintendent to request that the lease may be prepared in accordance with the terms of your letter of the Bth instant, in order that it may be signed on the handing over of the line. I have, &c, Walter Kennaway, T. W. Maude, Esq., Provincial Secretary. Secretary, Resident Minister's Office.

No. 4. Mr. Maude to Mr. Kennaway. Office of the Resident Minister for the Middle Island, Sir,— Christchurch, 3rd April, 1872. I have the honor, by the direction of Mr. Reeves, to acknowledge severally the receipt of your letters of the 20th March, 1872, and 27th March, 1872, approving of terms as embodied in a memorandum transmitted with my letter of the 11th ultimo, for the transfer of the Great Northern Railway. The Crown Solicitor has received instructions to prepare a draft agreement for the taking over of the Railway, which will be submitted for the consideration of his Honor the Superintendent as soon as ready. I have, &c, Thomas Wm. Maude, Walter Kennaway, Esq., Christchurch. Secretary.

No. 5. Hon. Mr. Reeves to his Honor the Superintendent. Office of the Resident Minister for the Middle Island, Sir,— Christchurch, 25th April, 1872. Referring to the correspondence that has passed between the General and the Provincial Governments on the subject of the transfer of the Great Northern Railway, I have to inform your Honor that I am advised that considerable time must necessarily elapse before the agreement, mentioned in my letter of the 3rd instant, can be prepared ; and further, that practically little advantage would accrue from such an elaborate document, compared with the simple form in which the memorandum of terms now stands. Should your Honor concur, I am prepared, on the part of the General Government, at once to hand over the Northern Railway to the Superintendent, in terms of the memorandum already acknowledged by your Honor as the basis of the agreement for the transfer of the Railway. In doing so, I should wish to be understood that while the terms as set forth are held by me to be binding on the General Government, especially in view of the payment of the half rates mentioned in paragraphs 7 and 8. I must press the request already made that these paragraphs should be reconsidered. It is further understood that if the Provincial Government at any time is desirous that the terms of agreement should be reduced to a more formal shape the General Government will accede to its request. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent of Canterbury. W. Beeves.

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TRANSFER OF NORTHERN RAILWAY.

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No. 6. His Honor the Superintendent to Hon. Mr. Reeves. Superintendent's Office, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, Sib— 27th April, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant, and in reply I have to state my acceptance, on behalf of the Provincial Government, of the terms under which you offer, on behalf of the General Government, to hand over the Northern Railway to the Provincial Government. ■ It is intended to formally open the line to Kaiapoi on Monday, and to commence running passenger trains on the following Wednesday, Ist May. I have, &c, Wm. Rolleston, . The Hon. Mr. Reeves. Superintendent.

JNo. 7. Mr. Thornton to Mr. Maude. NORTHERN RAILWAY. 29th April, 1872. Having examined the above line, between Addington and Kaiapoi, and found the whole of the works well and substantially constructed, I hereby certify that the line is safe for the purposes of public traffic. Geo. Thornton, The Secretary, Resident Minister's Office. Railway Engineer.